Next Friday, Sept. 12, the world-class cyclist will ride a 100-km course along the back roads from Mont Tremblant to Montreal, and riding alongside him will be a dedicated group of both avid and amateur cyclists — among them well-known Westmounter Dr. David Fleiszer of the Cedars Breast Clinic..

In support of cancer research and awareness, each rider has ambitiously pledged to raise a minimum of $25,000 for the aptly named Ride With Lance event.

The next day, on Saturday, Sept. 13, Armstrong will be kicking off the Cedars Cancer Institute Fuller Landau ‘Rain or Shine’ Dragon Boat Race and Festival with an inaugural speech. Taking place at the Promenade Père-Marquette on the Lachine Canal, the annual event is one of the city’s biggest cancer fundraising efforts, involving over 700 participants and volunteers.

The weekend’s events mark Armstrong’s first fundraising venture in Montreal, an occasion celebrated equally by the city’s cycling and cancer-research communities. “Lance is synonymous with cancer research,” said Ride With Lance committee co-chair Roger Beauchemin. He added that with already $250 million raised for the cause, Armstrong is both “a huge philanthropist and survivor.”

Beauchemin, president and CEO of McLean Budden and a lifelong Westmount resident, has been working since the spring with committee co-chairs under the event’s chief creator, Cedars Cancer Institute’s executive director, Jeff Shamie.

Cedars is Quebec’c only fully comprehensive cancer centre providing “tertiary and quaternary care to cancer patients of all ages, from childhood through adult life.” A hospital-based charity located in Montreal, it ensures both care and funding to patients and health care professional at the various MUHC treatment sites: The Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital and through the Montreal Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Oncology Sarah Cook Fund.

In addition to his role as co-chair, Beauchemin, a devoted cyclist in his own right, will be among those riding on Sept. 12. His access to the cycling community’s social network was instrumental in the project’s development.

“The Montreal cycling community is quite extensive but also tight-knit,” making it easier to get people involved, he said. “The response has been great.”

For the roughly ten-strong group of riders participating in this challenging event, both cycling ability and connection with cancer vary across the board. Profiles of each participant found on the MUHC’s Ride With Lance website, www.muhcfoundation.com universally describe, however, a personal dimension to their involvement in the fundraiser. Whether cancer specialist or cancer survivor, the distinct stories of each rider serve as poignant reminders of the all-too pervasive reality of the deadly disease.

Leonard Schlemm is one of Beauchemin’s co-chairs, and also a Westmount resident. Having joined the Organizing Committee at the behest of Jon Rae, chair of the MUHC’s $300-million Best Care for Life campaign, Schlemm was more than happy to get involved.

“I don’t think there’s a person who’s done more for cancer research than Lance,” he said.

Schlemm underlined the significance of the Ride With Lance as a “different kind” of fundraising event. “So often fundraisers are black tie events where you eat too much and stay up too late — not exactly moving people towards healthier lifestyles,” he said. “It’s refreshing to have something that focuses on health and fitness.”

The physical component of the Ride With Lance, said Schlemm “is not so daunting that it excludes people, but challenging enough that it requires preparation and training.” On the fundraising side of things, however, the event presents no small feat, whether Olympic caliber or leisure cyclist.

“We can’t have a large pack of cyclists for safety and logistics,” said Beauchemin. This makes the financial objective for each rider substantial. According to him, some riders have enlisted the support of over 100 donors to help them achieve the $25,000 fundraising goal.