WATCH: A Parksville woman is cycling 500 kilometres across Vancouver Island to show her sister how much she loves her and spread awareness about the cancer she’s fighting. Retired and about to turn 60, Sharon Hamlyn says she never imagined she’d be doing this. Yet as Skye Ryan reports, it has turned into a wild adventure complete with zebra leggings.
Sharon Hamlyn never imagined she’d be found on the shoulder of busy Highway 19.
“I’d never ever think of doing this,” said Sharon.
Yet the Parksville woman started out Monday cycling 500 kilometres from Victoria to Port Hardy to show her love for her sister Mary Kalt.
“Mary is my hero,” said Sharon.
“She’s always messaging, cheering me on and I just feel so incredible. I just don’t want her to die. I just don’t want her to die.”
Sharon’s sister has been battling neuroendocrine cancer for three years now. It’s a cancer of the hormone-producing cells in the body that can’t be cured.
Through good days and bad, she’s cheering her sister on from her home in Campbell River.
“I know you can do it and I just love you so much,” said Kalt to her sister.
“Thanks so much for being there for me all these years.”
Sharon said she is frustrated by the cancer hurting her loved one. She also hopes anyone seeing her zebra leggings and sign while she tears up Highway 19 this week will be cheered up. She is giving it all she’s got.
“Lots of energy today,” Hamlyn said Tuesday as she cycled past Crofton.
“I can do this.”
The retired education assistant’s husband is Hamlyn’s pit crew and is only a few metres behind her at all times.
“Oh she’s spectacular,” said George Hamlyn.
After reaching Ladysmith Tuesday, Hamlyn still had another 400 kilometres of road ahead.
Skye Ryan
