For the Croteau family it has been a journey just to get to the Enbridge Ride To Conquer Cancer Saturday afternoon.

Stefan Croteau raised over $9000 for this year's ride, is pedaling for his son Jacob who's been battling Hodgkins Lymphoma since last year.

Croteau says it was his due diligence to partake this year.

"Last couple of years I thought, I could do this," he says. "I could raise money, I could ride my bike for 100 KM's no problem, but I've never had any drive to do it, It seemed more like thing to do then something I had to do."

Over 1700 cyclists made their way into Okotoks Saturday night to camp-out for the first leg of the ride. Pledges this year raised $7.8 million, Croteau says the Alberta Cancer Foundation, who will allocate the funds to 15 different cancer treatment centres in the province, need all the help they can get to help battle the disease.

"Having gone through the treatment at the children's hospital, and seeing the care they're providing and the effort the staff is doing and how much money is involved in fighting the cancer, we have to do this."

The second half of the leg brings riders back to Calgary for the finale Sunday.

There are many stories like the Croteau's as to why so many riders, experienced or not get involved in this event that has reached over $50 million since it first started seven years.

One rider who wanted to remain anonymous is in her second straight ride and cancer has struck those close to her.

She says all she can do is continue to raise funds towards finding a cure.

"I lost my husband to cancer," she says. "I lost three brother in-laws to cancer, and I have a sister in-law who has colon cancer right now and is probably not going to make it."