Woodside & Versent cyclists raising cancer research funds

We’re proud to announce that Versent is joining forces with our friends at Woodside to support the 2021 MACA Cancer 200 Ride for Research.  

The Cancer 200 is a two hundred kilometre bike ride raising funds for the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.  The two-day ride challenges participants to ride their bikes two hundred kilometres this weekend, the 16^th and 17^th of October.   

Woodside – Versent’s longtime customer – has fielded a team of more than 180 riders for this year’s Cancer 200 Ride. Among that number are our very own Mitchell Edom and Jason Tuffin, both keen cyclists who’ve been in training for the last few months in preparation for the big ride.  

Talking about the ride, Versent’s Jason Tuffin said: 

“I started ten weeks of training, but I confess that I’ve missed a few weeks here and there. I did a fair bit of riding a few years back, so the Cancer 200 is a good excuse to get back in the saddle. Now, as a family man, I don’t get out to ride as much as I used to, but when I come home from a ride, the kids are usually keen for me to take them out for a spin. This is a personal goal. It’s an event. And supporting a good cause like cancer research at the same time as getting on a bike – that’s a pretty good combination. Mitchell and I have been working with Woodside for years now, and it’s so great to join forces for another common cause, especially one where we’re away from our screens and out riding. All of the Woodside team – our little Versent contingent included – will be rolling out together at the start of the ride. So, I’ll be seeing familiar faces around me and that’s really encouraging too, knowing it’s going to be such a supportive and friendly bunch of people out there.”  

Most of the participating riders will camp out in tents on the Saturday night in the middle of the two hundred kilometre ride. Versent rider, Mitchell Edom, is unphased:

“I love camping. I grew up travelling the Western Australian outback, so I’m actually looking forward to sleeping in tents in the middle of the event. I’m really excited about the ride. Plus, it’s always good to have an excuse to buy a new bike,” Mitchell said. “The rain has been keeping me away from training a bit, but I do feel fitter than I’ve been in ages. For me, a hundred kilometres is a pretty long ride, but just a few years back, that was my weekly run. Having an event as motivation is good to get back into training properly. I coach my kids’ sports teams, so having a physical goal for myself is nice. The benefit of fundraising for a fantastic, life-saving cause is the icing on the cake.”  

Cancer is still a major health threat in Australia and the broader Pacific region. According to Cancer 200 Ride beneficiary, the Perkins Institute, fifty percent of people develop cancer in their lifetime. Cancer’s devastating effects are felt in every community, and it accounts for approximately thirty percent of deaths in Australia. There are still subsets of cancer for which there are no treatments and very poor survival rates. The Harry Perkins Institute is focused on these deadly cancers, and their pioneering teams are working to find new and better ways to treat the disease.  

Captain of the Woodside ride team, Craig Duarte, commented:  

“Once you see what’s happening at the Harry Perkins Institute – the work of the scientists and researchers – you understand that it’s a very difficult challenge they’re taking on. It’s inspiring to see the scope of that challenge, and it makes me feel really good to help them in a small way by doing this fundraising bike ride.”  

“Improving your health and supporting cancer research is a motivating mix, and I think that’s why we’ve seen our team grow year by year and why so many of us keep coming back to do it again. We are delighted to have Versent onboard this year as part of that growing team. I think we’ve all been touched by cancer in our lives at some time, so it’s common ground for us.”   

You can support the life-saving work of the Perkins Institute by donating on the Cancer 200 Ride website:   
visit Jason’s fundraising page    
visit Mitchell’s fundraising page    
visit Craig’s fundraising page