A charity bike relay spanning over 1,000 kilometres across Vancouver Island and back within 48 hours begins today.

The inaugural End2End Cancer charity bike ride kicks off tonight. The relay will be done by eight people starting in Victoria, up to Port Hardy and back in forty-eight hours. It’s hoping to raise $100,000 for the Island Kids Cancer Association (IKCA).

The organization has been active on Vancouver Island since 2017. Their stated purpose reads:

“Children, youth and families affected by the lifechanging diagnosis of childhood cancer need support through all stages of their cancer journey. The IKCA was formed in 2017, filling a huge gap in services on Vancouver Island. IKCA provides year-round practical and local support specifically for children and youth with cancer and their families on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

End 2 End Rider and organizer Andy Dunstan says he isn’t nervous about the peddling, more so the logistics around the ride.

“It’s not my legs I’m really worried about,” he says. “For a first time event, it’s always a little intimidating with what you’ve set yourself up for. But what I’ve been able to do is inspire a whole bunch of really good people who know what they’re doing. So between us, it’s 100-per cent a team effort. A thousand kilometres in 48 hours sounds a lot, it is a lot, but I believe we’re up for the challenge.”

RELATED: End2End Cancer cycling relay hopes to raise $100k for Island Kids Cancer Association

Dunstan says he’s planning on making it an annual event to help Island families dealing with a childhood cancer diagnosis. He chose IKCA because he knows the good work they’ve been doing for years.

“I’ve been following them for a while and I know that they are locally based,” he says. “They deal with over 240 families on the Island and Gulf Islands who need real practical support. There’s mental health counselling and opportunities. Really practical supports.

“They’re only handcuffed by their lack of resources. If we can raise $100,000, there is a lot of good work they can do with that money. I know what they’ve been doing and the money stays local which is really important to me.”

The concept of organizing a cycling event on the island isn’t new to Dunstan, who spent many years as a committee member helping run the Cops For Cancer Tour de Rock. Unlike that event, this one will not be making stops in communities along the way. At least, not this year.

“We have a few surprises [along the way] that you’ll see on social media, but it is quite a [distance] and for the first time we’re going to be leaving here and our turn around in Port Hardy at the senior’s centre up there, they’re having a little barbecue up there for us,” Dunstan says. “We won’t be staying there long, depending on how quickly we ride, we’ll then be turning around and going back for the finale at the bike store.”

As for their $100,000 fundraising goal, Dunstan says they’re keeping the current total secret so they can surprise the riders at the finale, but they’re not quite at their mark yet.

“We’re not there yet. We are pretty close,” he says. “There’s still money coming in and we haven’t fully accounted for everything [we’ve got]. We know we’re close, but but we’re not quite there yet.”

Riders start at Trek Bikes in Victoria at 6 pm Tuesday and plan to be right back there at 5 pm on Thursday. The eight riders have been broken up into four pairs who will each cover five 50 km legs of the total for 250 km each.

The team comes from several different occupational backgrounds, many of which former first responders. Here’s the list of riders and where they work:

• Chris Day, Firefighter at CFB Esquimalt
• Andy Dunstan, retired police officer
• Steve Foster, retired RCMP officer
• Bill Fry, owner of Trek Bikes Victoria
• Erin Glazier, commercial realtor
• Mary Griffin, reporter at CHEK news
• Rob McDonald, Sgt. at Saanich Police
• Kevin Nystedt, Detective-Sergeant at Victoria Police