TORONTO, Ont. - Approximately 300 cyclists have prepared to ride hundreds of kilometers to raise money for HIV/AIDS.
Scotiabank's "The Friends for Life Bike Rally" will see people travel from Toronto to Montreal. The ride begins Sunday at 9 a.m. and cyclists are expected to arrive in Quebec July 30.
Wade Borges, co-chair of the event, said the bike rally will promote the health and well-being of all people living with the disease, providing accessible, direct, and practical support services.
"We're raising funds for The Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. It is the largest direct service provider for people with HIV and AIDS in the country...It's health and wellness, it is a food program, and it is also an income support," he said.
The event is expected to raise over $1-million.
Since 1987, PWA has helped men, transmen, transwomen, women and children living with HIV/AIDS. Their response was inspired by the voices and experiences of people living with the disease. It is estimated that over 15,000 people are living with HIV in Toronto since 1981. Of these, approximately one third do not know that they are HIV positive.
For more information, click
here.