July 18, 2008            

Team Schulich kicks off provincial cycling tour to support kids cancer camps

Alex Obrejanu was only two years old when he was diagnosed with cancer. He was too young to remember much about the disease itself. But he recalls quite vividly what it was like to attend camps for children recovering from cancer: they made him feel like a normal kid.

Now Obrejanu is 20 years old and entering his third year at the Schulich School of Engineering. He’s studying chemical engineering with a biomedical specialization.

Obrejanu has joined the 2008 Alberta Tour for Kids along with other members of Team Schulich, the cycling team at the University of Calgary that includes students and professors from several faculties.

Tour for Kids is a three-day cycling adventure through Alberta to raise money for camps for child cancer survivors and children who are still undergoing treatment.

“These camps are close to my heart because they attend to the physical, mental and emotional needs of these children,” Obrejanu said. “More than anything, it’s an escape for these kids from what they’re going through.”

The cyclists left the Nordic Centre in Canmore, Alberta early this morning. Obrejanu is biking along with seven others from Team Schulich: Paul Cataford, Kyle Nishiyama, Daniel Baker, Irene Pauchard, Jack Maslen, Neil Duncan and Steven Boyd. Other members of the team are going along as part of the support crew.

This is the second annual Alberta Tour for Kids and a total of 70 cyclists from around the province are taking part. Members of Team Schulich hope to raise $15,000. They’re well on their way, having brought in over half that amount already.

“We are pleased to be the naming sponsor of the team,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, dean of the Schulich School of Engineering. “We encourage our students and faculty members to be well-rounded engineers. That includes making a difference in our community through events like these.”

“It’s important for me, a cancer survivor, to participate,” said Alex Obrejanu. “Children with cancer can see there is hope that they, too, will grow up to be healthy and capable individuals.”

The route takes the team in a loop around Lake Louise then back to the Canmore Nordic Centre on Sunday, July 20 with a closing ceremony in the afternoon.

To track the progress of Team Schulich or to make a donation, please visit http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?EventID=15495&LangPref=en-CA&TeamID=56795

Media contact:

Jennifer Sowa
Media Relations Officer, Schulich School of Engineering
Phone: 403-220-3724, Email: jsowa@ucalgary.ca