Back on ya bike: how this local paediatrician overcame her fears to ride 1,400 km

Posted on 9 January, 2025

For many Canberra bike riders, near misses with cars are sadly a common experience – and 10 years ago local paediatrician Danielle Blake was unfortunate enough to be in a serious accident.

Riding to work, Danielle came off her bike after a car failed to give way, seeing her roll over the bonnet and into the traffic. And while she says she was lucky – walking away without any serious injuries – between the significant damage to the bike and the time she needed to take off work, her confidence was shaken.

“It’s a really common story for cyclists in Canberra,” she says. “Most cyclists that you talk to have near misses or accidents in traffic.”

“I had to go to the Emergency Department, I had some minor injuries and some things that needed a bit of rehab for a few months…to be honest the psychological recovery was tougher than the physical recovery. It made me much more anxious and much jumpier on the bike.”

Determined to get back to her passion as soon as possible – even though she still “feels twitchy” if she sees a car coming down a side street to her left at speed – it took Danielle over a week to feel assured enough to try riding again.

But now years later Danielle is happily back on her bike for a good cause, and she’s loving putting her pedals to the metal.

Riding for nine days from Hobart to Adelaide, Danielle is once again taking part in the Signature Tour de Cure, a fundraising initiative created with one goal in mind: curing cancer and changing lives.

Participating in the 2024 Tour de Cure’s Signature Tour, and contributing to raising over $2 million for cancer research and support services, she says that seeing the impact of the money raised in the towns they rode through was an incredibly emotional experience.

“Discussing the ‘why’ for each rider and support crew, why we were motivated to fundraise and the ride was incredible, with such a variety of reasons but all with one final goal in mind: to cure cancer and change lives,” she says.

“After seeing the difference every dollar raised makes – especially hearing from Prof Scolyer that every dollar invested in cancer research is returned fourfold to the community in improved cancer outcomes – it is a privilege to be able to contribute again.”

Committing to ride in the 2025 Tour de Cure moments after crossing the finish line in 2024, Danielle once again needs to raise $11,000 to join the transformative tour and remains incredibly passionate about the importance of cancer research and cancer support services.

“I spent six months of my training working in the paediatric oncology unit at the Sydney Children’s Hospital. Seeing for myself the impact of childhood cancer on my patients and their families and getting involved with the families of some of these kids…I would love to see fewer and fewer kids being diagnosed.”

“Paediatric cancer is something close to my heart but it’s something like 43 per cent of us in Australia will be diagnosed with a form of cancer at some point in our lives. We’re all impacted by cancer and if it’s not us, it’ll be someone we know and love.”

And in a full circle moment, the people who helped Danielle following her accident are the same team that helped Danielle get back on her bike in 2024.

“[Following the accident] I reached out to Maliganis Edwards Johnson and they were fantastic. They looked after me and arranged for me to get a settlement that allowed me to replace my bike gear and covered me for a bit of time off work,” she says.

“They very kindly donated a big chunk of money towards the total that I needed to participate.”

Incredibly grateful for the time and patience of the MEJ team (as well as other significant donations and support from the Canberra community), the 2024 Tour wasn’t the first fundraising bike challenge Danielle has taken part in – and as she once again prepares to ride the whopping 1,400 km, she’s calling on the local community.

Hoping to see a significant change in cancer research in her lifetime, to help raise money Danielle and other Canberra cyclists who are riding the Tour are holding a Gala evening at the Hyatt on Wednesday 15 February.

Held on International Childhood Cancer Day, funds raised at the  QURE Gala will support Tour de Cure’s commitment to funding the Public Laboratory at the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre (MCCCC) in Randwick, part of Australia’s first dedicated children’s comprehensive cancer centre.

“It’s exciting being able to do something that I really enjoy but give back to the community in the process. But it is a bit intimidating!”

“It would be wonderful if the Canberra community continued to get behind the Tour de Cure – it’s not just me fundraising in Canberra. But if all that happens is people have a greater awareness of Tour de Cure, the work that it’s doing and the impact of cancer in the community, well, that’s a step in the right direction.”

To donate to Danielle, visit signaturetour.tourdecure.com.au/danielle-blake