A Sudbury woman is refusing to let a cancer diagnosis slow her down.
Ashley Dieks, a 36-year-old paramedic with the Manitoulin Sudbury Emergency Medical Services, will soon be joining the Myeloma Canada Ride: Bike to Beat Myeloma. The disease is a form of bone marrow cancer
The Sudbury ride, which is part of a national campaign, takes place on Sunday, June 11, from 46 North Brewery, 1275 Kelly Lake Road, Unit 1, at 9 a.m., with a goal to raise myeloma awareness and raise vital funds for a cure.
People can choose to take a leisurely 30-kilometre ride or they can opt for the more challenging long-distance rides of 70 to 90 kilometres.
More specific information on the Sudbury event can be found on this website.
Friends and supporters can join a team, they can form a new team or they can ride as an individual. Either way, everyone is asked to register.
For Dieks, the ride is a way to support Myeloma Canada and continue research into the disease.
"Thankful for the medical treatments that have given her a second lease on life, Ashley is gearing up to cycle in Sudbury’s inaugural Myeloma Canada Ride: Bike to Beat Myeloma," said a news release.
Dieks, who was known for her avid fitness routine, was astonished in 2022 when she began experiencing pain in her ribs and chest. Her first thought was that she had a workout injury. She was shocked to learn she has seven broken ribs and had suffered two broken vertebrae just getting out of her car.
It was only after a battery of testing and a biopsy that she learned she had multiple myeloma, said the release.
"Ashley started intense chemotherapy immediately after being diagnosed and underwent a stem cell transplant a few months later in October 2022. While she is not yet in remission, Ashley is seeing very positive results with the maintenance therapy she’s receiving. Although she cannot workout as intensely as before her diagnosis, Ashley is pleased that she has been able to resume some of her favourite hobbies, including weightlifting and cycling," said the release.
