TORONTO, July 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Toronto cyclist Adrian Marziliano returns home on July 31st after an epic 8-month bike-riding marathon traversing 14,500 km across 13 countries to raise awareness and funds for Palliative Care programs for Princess Margaret Hospital. The folks at PMH and his supporters will welcome him home at the hospital finish line, along with a group of cyclists who are joining him for the last leg. Marziliano has raised $21,475 with donations still coming in.
After losing his mother Rosemary and three other close relatives to cancer in a short period of time, Adrian moved to Santiago, Chile to learn Spanish and do some soul searching. He decided to return home in the most challenging way possible.
"I am returning to my hometown in the hardest way I can imagine to symbolize the uphill battle that my mom faced and cancer patients around the globe continue to face each day".
The Marziliano family is grateful for the privilege they had in accessing palliative care and end-of-life care at home. Despite its known benefits, currently only 16-30% of Canadians are able to access palliative care.
Adrian is riding back to Toronto on his GT Zaskar Carbon Pro Bike, built by Dorel. Thousands of people have been tracking his journey on social media as he rode through the Atacama Desert and up the Peruvian coast, over the Andes mountains of Ecuador and across Colombia, climbing up to 3,600 metres. He crossed Central America and rode up the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and through the United States. He recently crossed the Canadian border in Niagara Falls and is now riding alongside Lake Ontario and back home.
"I hope to use my ride to thank and to honour all palliative care workers around the world, for they wake up every day to one of the hardest jobs in the world, and they are integral to our battle with cancer".
Adrian returns home on July 31 at 11am at Princess Margaret Hospital.
About Princess Margaret Hospital
Princess Margaret is one of the largest cancer treatment centres in the world, treating patients in 12 site groups and 26 specialty clinics. Over 3,000 staff see over 400,000 patient visits annually.
SOURCE Adrian Marziliano
Adrian Marziliano, [email protected], +56 9 5139 2058; Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Keith Clarke, [email protected] +1 416 946 4617
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