More than $1.8 million was raised for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital through the second annual Ride the Rideau fundraising event on Saturday. The fundraiser witnessed the participation of over 715 people who cycled from Ottawa to Merrickville.

The cyclists, who were from 69 teams, cycled 100 kilometres each; with the participating volunteers were greatly motivated and inspired by those bike-riders who had survived their battles with cancer.

The Ride the Rideau fundraiser was primarily credited with helping raise funds for Dr. John Bell's newest study of cancer-fighting viruses, which apparently spell the potential for `truly transforming' the way in which cancer is currently treated.

As such, the funds raised at the event will be used for developing personalized therapies for cancer patients, as well as for conducting clinical trials to test potential treatments for the disease.

About the need to developed personalized treatments for cancer patients, Dr. Duncan Stewart - Chief Executive and Scientific Director of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a Ride the Rideau participant - said: "Each cancer, like each patient, is different."

Dr. Stewart further added: "By developing personalized therapies that are tailored for each patient, we will be able to give people treatments that are more likely to work from the very beginning. This means longer and healthier lives for our patients."