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Son goes cross-country for cancer – Metro US

Son goes cross-country for cancer

A young Winnipeg man has been moved to do a bicycling trek across Canada to raise funds for cancer research after his father, the president of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, was stricken with the illness in 2004.

During an Edmonton stop at Commonwealth Stadium yesterday, 20-year-old Wes Bauer said hearing that his father Lyle Bauer, a former offensive lineman, had a cancerous tumour in his throat came as a shock since his dad was so athletic.

“When he was in his prime, he would bench 430 and I never thought our family would be affected by cancer,” said Bauer, who is expected to arrive in St. John’s, N.L., in August.

“Then when 2004 rolled in, when he told me about it, this was something that took me back. Now I am seeing how many people are affected by this disease and we need to do something as Canadians.”

Bauer has been riding the bike to raise funds for the Never Alone Foundation during his Chase the Cure trek and he plans to stop off at every city where there is a CFL team.

Edmonton Eskimos CEO and president Rick LeLacheur donated an autographed helmet, which will be auctioned off for charity — something LeLacheur feels is an important cause.

“While we are competitive on the field, we are a family off the field,” said LeLacheur.

“Wes’s dad went through a lot and we wanted to do something.”

Funds raised by Chase the Cure will stay in the provinces where they were raised, said Bauer, who has so far raised $5,500 in Alberta.

For more information about the site or the auction, check out chasethecure.com.