Rosie Hisey passed away after a long battle with cancer in May, but her legacy is being carried on by her family members committed to raising money and finishing the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer in her name every year. 

Jasper’s Michelle Dolhan remembers her sister as someone who kept people laughing even though she was sick. 

“You would never have really known she had cancer, other than the way she looked,” Michelle said. 

Rosie’s family has so far raised over $126,000 with the Ride for Rosie. They currently hold the sixth spot in the Ride to Conquer Cancer’s top ten fundraising teams. 

“It’s quite a bit,” Michelle said. 

The ride is taking place in Calgary on June 25 to 26. The cyclists ride from Spruce Meadows to the Chain Links Campground, where they camp for the night. In the morning they head back to Spruce Meadows. The team spreads out and usually ride individually, but there are stops every 25 kilometres for the riders to get some food and water. The Ride for Rosie teammates wear matching jerseys with their team name. The ride is non-competitive, and acts as a way to remember loved ones lost to cancer. 

“I guess it’s a very emotional day,” Michelle said. 

This will be the Ride for Rosie’s third year, but Michelle’s first year riding. The team is made up of 25 family members and friends. 

Rather than asking for pledges, Michelle decided to offer people something in return. She has been teaching Zumba classes to raise her money, and earned $1,000 from a recent class. She also brought items from local businesses to a silent auction event the team organizes every year in Calgary. The fundraiser brought in $24,000, and had items such as an old sports car that was donated. Michelle kept track of the money raised by the Jasper items, and was happy to report that $1,500 was raised. 

One big contributor to the cause was Henry Burris, the Calgary Stampeders quarterback who learned about Rosie’s battle and donated $10,000 of his own money to the Ride for Rosie. 

The money raised by the Ride to Conquer Cancer goes directly to the Alberta Cancer Foundation. The funds stay in the province and go towards research. Michelle said it’s nice to know the money is going to fight the disease.

Rosie was 36 when she was diagnosed with cancer; she managed to fight off the disease until she was 43. In her last years, Rosie lived life to the fullest, Michelle said. 

“She realized they weren’t going to be able to do anything for her,” Michelle said. “At some point she just decided to enjoy life.”

Michelle learned to enjoy her own life from her youngest sister, and plans to continue riding in her name. The Ride for Rosie is a way for the family to get together and celebrate her. All of the Hisey siblings will be there, even if they’re not riding. 

“Hopefully she stops the rain that day,” Michelle said, as the rain continued in Jasper on June 16. 

The money is something that can make a huge difference to those fighting cancer, Michelle said. Many people don’t realize the costs associated with the battle, including accommodation for loved ones, prescriptions and more. 

“If you know someone in this situation, the money is so important,” Michelle said. “I do think it’s making a difference.”

Michelle is confident a cure will be found someday, and realizes her sister may not have survived her ovarian cancer as long as she had, had she developed it 10 years ago. 

Michelle plans to teach Zumba again in the fall to raise money for the Ride for Rosie. Each year the ride is growing, and more and more people are signing up to contribute.

“It seems like every year we’re getting more and more people,” Michelle said. 

Anyone interested in contributing can go to www.conquercancer.ca/ and search for the Ride for Rosie to make a donation.