Kolten and Keegan Davis are riding their bikes this August for the Great Cycle Challenge.
“We are riding for cancer, because kids don’t have fun being sick,” said five-year-old Kolten.
The children started biking for the cause in August of 2020 after stumbling upon an online ad about the challenge. Kolten formed his team “Rip’n Donuts” after deciding to have his little brother Keegan, 3, on his team.
Kolten taught his younger brother how to ride a bike while walking with him and encouraging him the whole way. Once his brother was on two wheels, the two became a biking team.
“With everything shut down due to quarantine, we asked our son Kolten, who was three at the time, if he wanted to ride and explained to him about the challenge," said Tasha David, Kolten and Keegan's mother. "From there, we just started pedalling.
"What we thought was going to be something very minute, turned into something pretty incredible."
In his first year, Kolten peddled 371 kilometres and raised over $14,000 for kids’ cancer through the Great Cycle Challenge. In 2021, the two children raised over $12,000.
The kids now wear jerseys they received once they hit 500 kilometres.
“Well, if there's something that we can do to help somebody else out, why not? Kids helping kids. That's what it's about," Tasha said. "They love riding. They love going out. They're very passionate about it.
"They're both on two wheels at the age of two. And so if it's something that we can do is a little fun thing in the summer to help out others, why not?”
This year, the children are riding for fellow Okotokian Kolton Byerley, who was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour back in May.
“Even Keegan at age three will explain to them that he's riding for Kolton. And he will explain who Kolton is and who Kolton’s mom is. And that Kolton’s mom (Rae-Lynne) has this really cool bookstore (Yooneek Books) with a really cool little kid section in the back that he's allowed to go into,” Tasha said.
The two boys have made a goal of raising $2,500, and have so far raised a little over $2,000. They also have a goal of riding 300 kilometres this year.
“We've met Kolton’s mom and she is just a lovely, kindhearted, beautiful human that no matter what she's going through, she is always smiling," Tasha said. "And that's something that as a parent with a child that is going through something like that is incredible. That woman is the rainbow in his storm."
The Great Cycle Challenge began in 2016, allowing people of all ages and from every province to ride in support of research to develop treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer. The challenge is a national SickKids Foundation fundraising initiative held throughout August.
In the last six years, challengers have ridden more than 16 million kilometres, raising in excess of $30 million.
“Even if people don’t donate, at least this story will make a parent smile and know that these kids are riding for kids,” Tasha said.
To donate and learn more about the Great Cycle Challenge, visit https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/koltenDavis.
