The annual RoCan ride took place from 5th–12th April, raising money for Ovarian Cancer. This project was initiated by the Rotary clubs of Williamston and Altona over twenty years ago. Twenty-seven riders and six support crew participated in the ride. This year’s ride started in Geelong and went via several towns finishing in Adelaide. Along the way we stayed overnight in Camperdown, Port Fairy, Mount Gambier, Kingston, Meningie, Strathalbyn and finally concluding the ride at the Glenelg Lacrosse Club.
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Rotarians representing the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, Thelma Hutchison (her sixth involvement), her husband Andrew and myself (for the third time), were participants.The idea was to eventually come to the Adelaide Rotary Conference but the Conference dates were changed, because of a clash with the AFL Gather Round in Adelaide. The RoCan ride had already been booked at the various motels and restaurants along the route, so it went ahead.
The prevailing Westerly winds affected us on at least a couple of days resulting in strong head and side winds, which as a cyclist is as bad as rain. However, on the upside we also experienced some tail winds to balance things out and make for a very enjoyable ride. Mark, speaking on behalf of himself described his derriere as being extremely sore from the experience. The bunch of men and women riding, as well as the support crew, were excellent people to be with for that week. Everyone looked after each other to ensure we all made the distances set.
The fundraising is mainly aimed at research into early detection of ovarian cancer, cancer treatment and to build a wellness centre where families will be able to stay
overnight whilst their loved ones are undergoing treatment.
overnight whilst their loved ones are undergoing treatment.Each rider is pledged to raise money and Mark and Thelma are grateful for those who have donated to our fund-raising efforts. We hope to have a representative from the RC Williamstown and RC Altona visit the Club as a dinner guest to provide an overview of the success and longevity of this twenty-year activity, the fundraising achievements, and some anecdotes and experiences from the rides.
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Each year there are two awards – the Snake award and the Kookaburra award. Mark won the Kookaburra award in 2024, and was again in 2025 the worthy recipient of this award. It signifies the person on the ride who is welcoming, talkative and generally fits in very well.
Mark F Ellis and Thelma Hutchison
ROCAN - Rotarians Against Ovarian Cancer is a charity that supports cancer patients and their families, primarily through research and patient care. It originally focused on ovarian cancer, but its mission has expanded to encompass broader cancer support.
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