The 2024 Kingston-Quinte Ride for Dad raised $30,000 to support local prostate cancer research. For Marion Perry, the longtime Ride for Dad chair, the milestone is both emotional and meaningful.
"It's absolutely exciting," says Marion about last year’s event which attracted about 370 riders who helped raise the money. "I get emotional just thinking about what we can do with this money and the research it will support. We're saving more lives and figuring out ways for a better quality of life for people with prostate cancer. It warms my heart."
Each year, Ride for Dad supports a local prostate cancer researcher through the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF).
A cheque presentation ceremony was held on May 16 to give the money to this year’s recipient, Dr. John Allingham. He and his colleagues are developing a new targeted therapy for metastatic prostate cancer by combining a potent actin-disrupting drug with an antibody that selectively binds to prostate cancer cells. This antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) approach aims to disable cancer cell growth and spread to other parts of the body, while sparing healthy tissues, offering a safer and more effective treatment strategy for advanced prostate cancer.
“The research money empowers us to explore a promising strategy and bring us one step closer to improving outcomes for men affected by prostate cancer,” says Dr. Allingham. “Thank you for championing this important work.”
For Marion, the Ride for Dad mission is deeply personal. Nearly 30 years ago, her father Joe passed away from prostate cancer just one week after being diagnosed.
"I took my father to the emergency department on a Friday night and very quickly he was diagnosed," she recalled. "He passed away the following Saturday. We went from planning to bring him home to planning his funeral. If I only knew then what I know now, I might've saved my dad's life. So now I am just on a mission."
Marion has been a passionate advocate for the Ride for Dad mission, working to raise both funds and awareness. One of the Ride for Dad’s key messages is the importance of early detection.
"Early detection saves lives, and it's a proven fact now," she emphasized. "Our key message is to encourage men to ask their doctor to get a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test."
Prostate cancer often shows no symptoms in its early stages, which is why regular screening is critical. When symptoms do appear, they may include difficulty urinating, frequent urination (especially at night), blood in the urine or semen, and pain in the back or pelvis.
The 2025 Kingston-Quinte Ride for Dad will take place on May 31. Details about registration and participation can be found on the Ride for Dad website.