For the last 6 years, Velindre Cancer Charity and Swansea Bay Health Charity have joined together to raise funds for patients and families across Wales – and this year is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever!
Jiffy’s Cancer 50 Challenge is just 3 months away – and we can’t wait to get out into the sunshine on the 16th August and pedal with purpose! We’ll be cycling the 56 miles from Cardiff City Stadium to Bracelet Bay, bringing together these two remarkable charities together: Going The Extra Mile to achieve Victory Over Cancer. This year, we’re adding in a stop at the incredible Morgans Hotel, to collect all of our riders together for a free drink and barbecue item in the summer sunshine – before heading on to the finish line in Mumbles.
At the heart of Cancer 50 are the patients and families who are facing cancer across South Wales. Every mile you pedal, every pound you raise, you will be supporting supportive care and services throughout Velindre Cancer Hospital and Swansea Bay.
The impact of your funds will have a lasting effect by allowing us to go above and beyond for patients and families, develop cutting-edge technology and equipment, and pioneer ground-breaking trials and research.
To really put into perspective why this ride is so important, we’re spotlighting some of the incredible riders you’ll be cycling alongside – and the stories that motivate them.
Eirian Evans and Tracey Williams are both members of CelticTri, a club who love taking on the challenge and fundraising as a team year after year.
For Eirian, “it’s more than just a physical challenge – it’s a way to give something back and to stand alongside others who are going through some of the hardest moments of their lives.”
This year’s ride will carry a deeper significance for Eirian. In December, his lovely wife Rachel passed away due to cancer. Eirian told us “the care she received, particularly from CDU and Ward 12, meant so much to us as a family”. Rachel was loved by everyone who knew her, including everyone at CelticTri – many of whom will be riding in memory of her this year. For Eirian, Jiffy’s Cancer 50 is “now a way for [him] to honour her, to carry her memory forward, and to support the incredible people and services who help others facing similar journeys”.
Having seen first-hand the impact both charities have on cancer patients and services in Wales, Eirian was motivated to share his story. He said ” Raising funds for these charities is so important to me because I’ve seen first-hand the difference they make — not just in treatment, but in compassion, dignity, and support for families. If sharing my story can help encourage others to get involved or to donate, then that’s something I’m proud to do.”
Tracey Williams is also a keen rider of Jiffy’s Cancer 50. Tracey’s family has been deeply affected by cancer. Her husband, niece, and mum have all sadly passed away due to cancer, and her father and eldest sister are currently both battling the disease. Tracey herself has also experienced cancer, though she was extremely “lucky that [her] cancer was found early and fully removed with surgery”. For Tracey, cycling the 56-mile route is a way to raise money for the vital services that her family have relied on, and a way to remember the loved ones she has lost to the disease.
As a member of CelticTri, Tracey will also be riding in memory of Rachel. The team plan to display a photo of Rachel on their kit to motivate them during their challenge and spur them on until the finish line. Some of the team are also going the extra mile by riding the 56-miles to Bracelet Bay and then making the journey back to Cardiff as well – a true step above and beyond!
Tracey was more than happy to share her story, knowing that it would inspire other riders to push on in their fundraising. She told us: “I will always be an advocate for the Jiffy ride… whatever I can do to help promote the event will be a pleasure”.
Jiffy’s Cancer 50 truly is one-of-a-kind, steeped in personal significance, camaraderie, and a dedication to providing vital funds to those facing cancer in our communities. For Eirian, “the sense of community, support, and shared purpose is something truly special, and it’s a big part of why [he keeps] coming back.”
We’d like to deeply thank both Eirian and Tracey for sharing their stories with us.
It truly means the world to us that our patients, their families, and their communities continue to give back to us in such a meaningful way.
Eirian, Tracey, and the whole team at CelticTri really encapsulate what Jiffy’s Cancer 50 Challenge is all about.
