BMO Ride for Cancer surpasses $15 million net raised for local cancer care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre

Atlantic Canada's largest cycling fundraiser marks 11 years of impact, more than $2 million raised in 2025, and announces 2026 as its grand finale

NOTE TO EDITORS: Video, photo, and interview opportunities of BMO Ride for Cancer participants available today between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Hobsons Lake Drive, Bayers Lake, including our BMO Ride for Cancer Closing Ceremonies at 2:45 p.m. which includes a major announcement.

HALIFAX, NS, Oct. 18, 2025  /CNW/ - Atlantic Canada's largest cycling fundraiser has hit an extraordinary milestone. The 11th annual BMO Ride for Cancer, proudly hosted by the QEII Foundation, has officially surpassed more than $15 million net raised to date to transform cancer care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

This year's event on Saturday, October 18, united more than 850 cyclists raising $2 million net in 2025 alone -- pushing the event's total fundraising impact to historic new heights.

Since its first year in 2015, when 130 riders raised $170,000 net, BMO Ride for Cancer has grown from a modest community event into one of Canada's top five peer-to-peer cycling fundraisers. Its legacy is one of East Coast pride and purpose, where every dollar raised stays right here in Atlantic Canada -- directly benefiting patients and families who rely on the QEII Health Sciences Centre for world-leading cancer care and treatment.

"This milestone belongs to every rider, donor, volunteer, and partner who has been part of this journey and to all of the individuals they're honouring through their inspiring efforts," says Susan Mullin, President and CEO of QEII Foundation, which proudly hosts BMO Ride for Cancer. "Together, this community has transformed the future of cancer care in our region -- helping ensure that Atlantic Canadians facing cancer have access to the best possible care, close to home."

LOOKING AHEAD: THE GRAND FINALE IN 2026
As the QEII Foundation celebrates 11 incredible years of impact, it has also announced that the 2026 BMO Ride for Cancer will be the event's grand finale.

"Not because the work is done," says Susan, "but because we want to give this ride -- and this community -- the finale it deserves. Next year will be a moment to reflect, celebrate and cement this event's legacy with one final, record-breaking year that will continue to transform cancer care at the QEII for generations to come."

The 2026 BMO Ride for Cancer Grand Finale will honour more than a decade of community impact, celebrating every kilometre, every story, every name written on a jersey, and every life changed because of this extraordinary event. 

There's still time to support a BMO Ride for Cancer participant or team in your life. Until midnight tonight (Oct. 18), all donations to BMO Ride for Cancer will be generously matched by The Christina and Hedley G. Ivany Charitable Foundation up to $100,000 -- doubling the impact of every gift made today to advance cancer care at the QEII.

QUICK FACTS

• Nova Scotia has the highest cancer rates in all of Canada. Currently, 1 in 2 will be diagnosed in their lifetime and 1 in 3 patients will not survive. To help combat these alarming stats, funds raised by our 2025 BMO Ride for Cancer community will help equip our QEII experts with the diagnostic tools they need to deliver some of the country's most leading-edge cancer care available. This includes helping to fund the following precision oncology projects through the QEII Foundation's $100-million We Are campaign:
  • Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring: Minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring is a special test used on a patient's bone marrow or blood samples to detect any tiny traces of cancer that might remain after treatment, particularly in blood cancers. It helps care teams understand if there are still any cancer cells hiding in the body, track how the disease might be progressing, and quickly identify patients who may benefit from a stem cell transplant. MRD monitoring is an important tool for predicting whether certain blood cancers, like leukemia, might come back, and helps oncologists make more personalized decisions about the best targeted treatments and new therapies available for patients.
  • Comprehensive Genomic Profiling: Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) takes cancer care to the next level by analyzing a tumour's genetic makeup with unprecedented detail. CGP analyzes hundreds of genes at once -- far beyond the QEII's current capabilities -- to uncover the specific mutations driving cancer growth. This powerful tool will help care teams better characterize a patient's tumour, providing valuable information to better guide and personalize treatment. By understanding the unique genetic fingerprint of each tumour, oncologists can select therapies that have the highest likelihood to succeed -- potentially sparing patients from unnecessary treatments and improving their overall quality of life during their care journey.
  • To learn more about this year's impact, visit YourRideforCancer.ca/Impact.

SOURCE QEII Foundation

For further information or to arrange event day interviews and b-roll, please contact: Tanya MacLean, Vice President, Communications and Marketing, QEII Foundation, 902 489 5664 | [email protected]