CLOVERDALE — Several police officers traded in their blue uniform for tight cycling apparel to be part of this year's Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley.
The ride arrived in Surrey last Wednesday (Oct. 1) at Applewood Kia, Clayton Elementary and Cloverdale Christian School.
Simran Sarai, a survivor of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was at Clayton Elementary for the first assembly of the year.
The Grade 9 Earl Marriott Secondary student was there to help officers inform the children about the ride, the Canadian Cancer Society and Camp Goodtimes, a camp in Maple Ridge for children with cancer and their families.
Simran was excited to see how many people were part of the campaign to ride across the Fraser Valley this year.
"It's really amazing because you see these people and they're giving up time away from their families to come ride and raise support for Camp Goodtimes," she said.
"It's just really amazing to see that people would actually do that."
Simran, who has been cancer-free for five years, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was six years old.Her father, Sarj, said getting the news his daughter had cancer was devastating.
"It kind of blows you away.It's not something you wish upon anybody, to have to bear news like that. Success to get through it is the reward at the end, I guess, but I wish we could all have that reward," said Sarj.
Simran went through 26 months of chemotherapy, blood transfusions and hospital check-ins before she was cleared of cancer.
The Cops for Cancer ride has raised more than $32 million for the Canadian Cancer Society since 1997.
The money goes toward cancer research and family support programs like Camp Goodtimes.
The nine-day ride finished on Friday (Oct. 3) with stops at Tong Louie YMCA, Surrey RCMP detachment, Green Timbers Elementary, Scottsdale Centre, B.C. Sheriffs, Impressive Eyewear, Burnsview Secondary, Holy Cross Regional High and Coast Capital's head office.
Prior to the final day, the Tour de Valley raised an estimated $300,000, with more donations expected over the coming months.
There are more than 100 participants riding across the four different "tours."
For more information, visit Copsforcancerbc.ca.