Peddling for PTSD – cyclists saddle up

Captain Zweng with her bike at Victoria’s Inner Harbour. She is leading a team of 20 Victoria-based cyclists in the Wounded Warriors Canada’s Battlefield Bike Ride. Photo by Jimmy Tran

Captain Zweng with her bike at Victoria’s Inner Harbour. She is leading a team of 20 Victoria-based cyclists in the Wounded Warriors Canada’s Battlefield Bike Ride. Photo by Jimmy Tran

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

A team of 20 Victoria-based cyclists are supporting Wounded Warriors Canada with an April 9 Spin-O-Thon. The stationary ride fundraiser is part of the larger Wounded Warriors’ Battlefield Bike Ride from June 9 to 17, which will take the cyclists on a tour of Europe’s famous First World War battle sites.

But before their trip across the pond riders must raise $4,000 each in support of the non-profit organization that assists former and current soldiers and emergency service workers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and operational stress injuries.

The Spin-O-Thon runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Uptown Shopping Centre’s Central Plaza. Taking turns, cyclists will keep their stationary wheels spinning for eight hours while counting on the goodwill of shoppers and passers-by to help them meet their fundraising target.

Spin-O-Thon organizer Captain Jacqueline Zweng says the monies raised for this fundraising initiative go directly to Wounded Warriors Canada; the riders pay for the costs of their cycling tour.

This year’s Battlefield Bike Ride will involve 150 military and civilian cyclists from across Canada converging for a 600-kilometre cycling tour through some of France and Belgium’s most famous battlefields, including Flanders Fields, The Somme, and Ypres Salient, with the conclusion at Vimy Ridge.

Capt Zweng says most of the riders on her team, including herself, have a personal stake in making sure Wounded Warriors is supported in their mission.

“PTSD and mental illness effects every single person in the military in some form, and the first responder’s community,” she says. “Everyone can relate to the issues of depression, anxiety or know someone who is suffering.”

For her a diagnoses of breast cancer, and subsequent treatment, brought about some tough days. Before her diagnosis she planned to cycle the 2016 Battle Field Bike Ride along Italy’s Adriatic Coast, but her health issues forced her to cancel.

Five days following her partial mastectomy and the removal of three lymph nodes for a biopsy she was involved in a car accident. She suffered impact injuries from a seatbelt in the same area on her chest.

She has since overcome her injuries. She did her last round of chemotherapy March 26. Although Capt Zweng has not been diagnosed with PTSD she says her recent experiences helped her see the light on the important work being done by Wounded Warriors.

“I was able to recognize right away that I had a problem with my own mental health and sought help through counselling,” says Capt Zweng. “So after I found out about Wounded Warriors I quickly came a big supporter.”

She was one of six runners who recently completed the Wounded Warrior Run B.C., a 700-kilometre trek covering the length of Vancouver Island.

If you can’t make this weekend’s Spin-O-Thon but are still interested in helping the spinners reach their target visit Wounded Warriors Battlefield Bike Ride web page: http://woundedwarriors.ca/bbr17/

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