Mums’ pedal power

It will be a Valentine’s Day with a difference this year for a team of mums when they embark on a 750km bike ride across the rugged terrain of Vietnam and Cambodia in a bid to raise funds for a breast cancer charity.

Peel Pink Peddlers Peta Allen, Lorraine Garbin and Leisa Dawkins will join a group of dozens of women from across the country for the 11-day Pink Pedal Challenge and have already raised $35,000 — more than a quarter of the funds collected across the country so far.

Mrs Garbin, a Mandurah mother-of-three, is a carrier of the BRCA 2 genetic mutation, which increases the likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancers.

She said she decided to get involved with the challenge after undergoing two preventative mastectomy and hysterectomy surgeries several years ago.

Mrs Garbin said members of her family, including her grandmother and aunt, had lost their fight with the disease and she had watched as her mother almost lost hers too.

“In our family, we have a strong history of breast cancer — the doctors suspected a genetic link after my mum got sick and I decided to have the operation,” she said. “My sister has also had it — people have told me they think it was brave, but I knew right away it was what I had to do.

“Too many kids in my family have grown up without their mums.”

Port Kennedy mother Mrs Allen, who has been training regularly for the ride, said she had witnessed friends battle breast cancer and wanted to do something to help.

She said the women had raised more than $35,000 through various fundraising initiatives, including a girls’ night in last year, and donations from local businesses.

“We’ve had such an overwhelming response and hope to continue to raise even more until we leave on February 14,” she said.

To donate, visit bcnapinkpedal2013.gofundraise.com.au.