On Sunday, July 30, 2023, the 16th annual Capilano Volkswagen Cypress Challenge took place. Over 600 cyclists took on the 12km climb up Cypress Mountain, starting at Cypress Bowl Road, Gate 6, and finishing up at the Hollyburn Nordic Area with a total elevation gain of 723 meters. This year’s event raised $418,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation.
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages, making treatment challenging. Since 2008, cyclists have tackled the climb up Cypress Mountain to raise funds for research to help improve the outcomes for the nearly 800 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in BC.
This annual event has provided funding to Pancreas Centre BC which is a dedicated research division that aims to enhance the care for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and has helped establish the Pancreatic Cancer Rapid Access Clinic. The clinic consolidates and expedites consultation and testing and offers genetic profiling for those diagnosed. Unless we find more effective treatment strategies, pancreatic cancer is set to become the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030. Pancreas Centre BC’s research team, co-led by Dr. Daniel Renouf, is making key strides in better understanding the unique features of pancreatic cancer, including establishing a Biobank Program of tumour samples for researchers to study. By increasing understanding of the disease, the team will be able to create more effective treatments and improve outcomes.
Thank you to all our sponsors, riders, and volunteers. With your help, we’re helping to find more effective treatments and improve life expectancy outcomes for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Learn more about the Cypress Challenge here.
