Ride for Dad raises $75,000 for prostate cancer research
Posted Jun 12, 2026 10:30:00 AM.
Last Updated Jun 12, 2026 11:08:37 AM.
Early rain on Saturday did not cool the engines of avid motorcyclists participating in the annual Princess Auto Ride for Dad, which raises funds for prostate cancer research and awareness.
“A friend of mine Garry Janz saw that there was a need to do something about Prostate Cancer; men needed to get checked,” said Ride for Dad Co-founder and National Ride Captain Byron Smith. “He contacted me, and we put together a small ride; it was only going to go for 1 year, but there was such a success, we kept doing it … now 25 years later, we’re right across the country in 25 different cities.”
The Ride started and finished at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and took riders on a 201km route through communities south of Ottawa and into the Seaway Valley including Enniskerry, Winchester, Chesterville, North & South Dundas, Iroquois and Kemptville.
By the numbers
- $75,000 raised in the 2026 edition of Ride for Dad
- $13,691.80 raised by Brent Fishman who has contributed more than $100,000 over the last 2 decades
- Over $46 million has been raised nationally for the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation
- Over $8 million from Ottawa alone
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the third leading type of fatal cancer in men. It is estimated that over 29,000 men will be diagnosed this year, representing 23 per cent of new cancer cases. They say early detection is key through a combination of Digital Rectal Exams (DRE) and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests.
Men over 40 should be getting a yearly PSA test, especially if there is family history so that medical professionals can track levels and look for signs of concern.
“Prostate Cancer not only affects men, it affects the lives they surround, their co-workers, their families,” said Linda Galloway, National Marketing Manager of the Princess Auto Ride for Dad.
Consult your healthcare provider to receive a PSA test or attend the free testing clinic at the Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) Chemo Unit, 566 Louise St., Winchester, Ont. on September 12.
