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For the past few weeks, Ryan Usprech, Ariel Babichev, and Michael Wieland have been grinding it out on the treadmill preparing for a 31-kilometre run.
It’s a distance that’s outside their comfort zones, but they’re not just training for any run.
On Friday, at 3 p.m., the three Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) students are embarking on a run from the Laurier sign on University Avenue in Waterloo, Ont., all the way to the University of Guelph’s gryphon statue on Stone Road to help raise awareness and funds for colorectal cancer.
“It’s going to be pretty difficult,” Usprech, who has a family history of colorectal cancer, told CBC News. “But in comparison to the fight that people who have colon cancer are going through, it’s nothing.”
The friend group is raising funds for colorectal cancer research and initiatives, a timely endeavour since March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month.
At the time of publication, the fundraiser has collected more than $6,000, exceeding its $5,000 goal.
Proceeds of the fundraiser will go to Colorectal Cancer Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to colorectal cancer awareness and education.
‘It is not a disease of the elderly anymore’
Earlier this month, the Canadian Cancer Society called for the lowering of colorectal cancer screening age from 50 to 45.
This comes after there has been an alarming increase in colorectal cancer incidence among younger adults in recent years. Researchers found a person’s diet and lifestyle play a big role in their likelihood of developing colorectal cancer.
With big name celebrities such as James Van Der Beek and Chadwick Boseman succumbing to the disease before the age of 50, the push for earlier testing is warranted.
Shady Ashamalla, a Toronto doctor at Sunnybrook Hospital who operates on young adult patients with colon and rectal cancers, says the lowering of colorectal screening age is long overdue.
“It is not a disease of the elderly anymore,” Ashamalla told CBC News. “And it used to be and so that’s a shift.”
‘Unbelievable’ community support
The group originally put up a fundraiser for $1,000. To up the ante, they decided to raise it to $5,000. Within the first three days, the fundraiser hit the $4,000 mark.
“We’re absolutely blown away by the support,” said Babichev, a computer science student at WLU.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Usprech. “Just to see the scale of people who actually support and encourage our journey … it’s fantastic.”
The community’s support was not limited to the donations. Usprech said they’ve been talking to people who could provide advice on the challenge they are taking.
“I’ve spoken to some people who have done marathons … they said it starts to get difficult around that [30-kilometre] mark,” he said. “We’ve been talking to a lot of people trying to make sure that [we do it] as safely as possible, and make sure the routes are optimal.”
To prepare for the run, Usprech said he and the others have been individually “building up that mileage.”
Babichev said him and Usprech also ran a half marathon last Friday as part of their preparation.
The students are making the journey from Waterloo to Guelph on their own, although they’re running the last two and half kilometres with the University of Guelph’s Gryphon Run Club.
It’s a running community for students at the University of Guelph, where “runners of all experience levels, from beginners to seasoned athletes” are welcome, the website said.
“[The collaboration] really nails home the community aspect of why we’re doing the run,” Usprech emphasized.
‘Kitchener-Waterloo community is incredible’
With the group receiving overwhelming public support for the project, they’re considering running it again next year.
“We loved the impact that it made in the community,” Usprech said. “We think that this is something that people can rally behind not just today, but every year afterwards.”
“I think the Kitchener-Waterloo community is incredible,” Usprech added.
The students are gathering at the Laurier sign in Waterloo at 2:30 p.m. Friday for a send-off. Their journey to Guelph begins at 3:00 p.m.
They expect to reach the Gryphon statue at around 6:00 p.m.
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