John Locke and Dave Quaile are two Bundaberg mates with one goal in mind — to ride 1600km across Queensland in nine days.
The duo are participating in a Smiling for Smiddy bike ride in August and hope to raise $10,000 as they trek from Townsville to Brisbane.
Passionate about making a change, Mr Locke said they would be joining the Smiling for Smiddy team and putting their bodies to the ultimate test to raise vital funds for cancer research at the Mater Hospital.
“Five years ago I saw this event pop up on my Facebook and it stayed in my mind ever since,” he said.
“I have heard the Smiling for Smiddy team are a great bunch of people and we are both really excited to be participating.”
Mr Locke and Mr Quaile are no strangers to bike riding, both taking the trip to and from work and other places around town on their bikes each day.
“I do a lot of running and riding,” Mr Locke said.
“I’m actually training for a marathon which is three weeks before the bike ride so that should be interesting!”
Age just a number
Mr Quaile, who is 72 years old, said age was no barrier when it came to keeping fit and participating in a great cause.
“I have worked on my fitness all my life,” he said.
“I got knocked around overseas when I served in Vietnam and upon my return, the advice of my doctors was to keep my health in check and I would not need surgery down the road.
“I followed that advice and here I am, living proof of that.”
The duo said each dollar raised was a step towards preventing another life being taken too soon and another family facing heart break they shouldn’t have to face.
“I am doing this for my mate who has an unusual type of cancer,” Mr Quaile said.
“Because of research, one of the drugs that was discovered is keeping him alive.”
Townsville to Brisbane cancer research ride
Mr Quaile and Mr Locke said the team work involved in their bike ride was something they were both looking forward to.
“It’s about mateship, everyone relies on each other to get through,” Mr Quaile said.
“It’s going to be great, you have to have goals in life to stretch you and take you out of your comfort zone.”
The pair will take off on their cancer research ride adventure on August 23 and are asking the community to support the cause they are riding for.
Smiling for Smiddy
Smiling for Smiddy was founded in 2006 in honour of Adam Smiddy.
In 2006, Adam passed away from an aggressive melanoma. He was just 26 years old, a talented triathlete and respected physiotherapist with the world at his feet.
To honour Adam, six weeks after his passing, his close friend Mark Smoothy and two other mates Ron Steel and Oliver Bodak fulfilled one of Adam’s unrealised dreams, to ride the 1,600km from Brisbane to Adam’s hometown Home Hill, raising $24,000 for cancer research in the process.
Over the past 12 years, and with the tremendous efforts of all of those involved, Smiling for Smiddy has raised over a million dollars for cancer research at the Mater.
