Bike ride in France raises hope for a Pictou County family

When Chanda MacDonald’s 20‑year‑old daughter was diagnosed with gastric cancer last spring, she knew the road ahead would be daunting. What she didn’t expect was the outpouring of support for Raleigh’s fight.

A clinical registered nurse educator with Nova Scotia Health, MacDonald says the diagnosis last May was devastating. Raleigh’s cancer developed from Peutz‑Jeghers syndrome, a rare genetic condition that had gone undetected since childhood.

MacDonald’s two close friends, Dr. Colin Sutton, an emergency physician at Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow, and his wife Linda MacNeil, a retired nurse, joined the Great Cycle Challenge. It’s a national fundraiser for childhood cancer research. The couple dedicated their fundraising efforts to research in Raleigh’s name, logging almost 600 kilometres over an eight-day bike tour in France last summer.

Awareness is critical, said MacDonald, especially for rare conditions like Peutz‑Jeghers syndrome. “Where a diagnosis can sometimes come as a total shock, these syndromes can be ‘silent’ until they become serious. Research isn’t a luxury; it’s how treatments are discovered. Every dollar raised goes toward a future where mothers like myself won’t have to go through this.”

For Sutton and MacNeil, who raised $6,500 for research into the syndrome, the ride was both a physical challenge and a symbol of solidarity. “You think about your own kids and how unpredictable life can be,” Sutton said. “Here’s a young woman writing exams, feeling tired and suddenly facing a terrible diagnosis. It reminds you how vulnerable we all are.”

“We’ve known Chanda for decades," MacNeil said. "To be able to do something tangible; to ride and raise money, it felt like the least we could do. It was about hope, strength and community.”

MacDonald considers the gesture more meaningful than simply financial. “What Colin and Linda did is the definition of humanity,” she said. “They gave us the strength to keep fighting. Families like ours need that hope.”

“You just want awareness out there," MacNeil added. "There’s still a long way to go. If anybody can donate, it all helps, especially with the type of cancer Raleigh has. It is so rare.”

Raleigh says the efforts of Sutton and MacNeil make it easier to remain positive and have faith. "It gets me through each day along with the amazing support from the community. I am humbled by the kindness of Colin and Linda and the awareness they’ve brought to help research kids’ cancers,” she said. “It is people like them that will help save many children.”

Raleigh had been preparing to enter her third year at St. Francis Xavier University when she paused her studies to start chemotherapy. Despite the fatigue after her treatments, Raleigh is determined to pursue a career in healthcare. She said she’s always wanted to help people and believes she has a natural ability to care and to demonstrate her empathy for others.

Sutton said they’ve done the ride in other places before “but this time we wanted to dedicate it to Raleigh. She may have been 19 when diagnosed, but from our point of view she’s still our friend’s child. Everyone was trying to figure out how they could help. For us, raising money for research in her name was the way.” They carried a photograph of Raleigh with them. “We wanted Raleigh to ride with us, so to speak,” Sutton said. 

MacNeil said the ride drew attention from fellow cyclists and even strangers abroad. “People were quite intrigued by what we were doing." Some of the people they met donated to the cause. Sutton and MacNeil were among the top fundraisers in Nova Scotia for the ride. 

If awareness there can lead to earlier detection, that’s a difference Raleigh is proud to have made,” MacDonald said. “Raleigh doesn’t walk this path alone; she has a huge community behind her. That’s really the whole message.”

Photo of Raleigh MacDonald.