A fundraising effort to help Port Moody Olympic rower Krista Guloien Temple in her fight against Stage 4 breast cancer is going on the road. Literally.
Proceeds from a new cycling kit, the Krista Guloien Temple 2024 Capsule Collection, will go toward a campaign to raise $250,000 so the two-time Olympian can pursue specialized treatment using immunologic medications specifically targeted at tumours. The unique therapy was pioneered by a Florida doctor and is not available in Canada.
The cycling kit, designed by Guloien Temple’s sister, Marla, features a special QR code on the back that can be scanned by a mobile device for a direct link to a GoFundMe site. It will be worn by a growing team of riders participating in the RBC Whistler Fondo on Sept. 7 that already includes six Olympians — four of them currently competing in Paris at the 2024 Summer Games.
"In my mind's eye, I keep seeing a crowd in her jersey," said Marla. "I can only imagine the number of women who would love to rock this jersey for their 2024 Gran Fondo Race."
Guloien Temple, who was born in New Westminster, grew up in Port Moody and learned to row while attending Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, represented Canada at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and she was part of the women's 8 team that won a silver medal at the 2012 Games in London.
She had already defeated a previous breast cancer diagnosis in 2022. But in March of this year, the disease reasserted itself and had spread into her bones. The diagnosis came after she hurt her shoulder while walking a dog then broke her arm opening a jar of pickles.
"At emergency, they did an x-ray and delivered news I had no idea was coming," Guloien Temple wrote on her Facebook page.
Marla Guloien said the unique therapy could “significantly” extend the life of her sister, who has two young children.
The GoFundMe campaign has already raised more than $52,000 through private donations and from fundraising events like a recent soccer clinic conducted by the Port Moody Soccer Club and a 24 km bike ride up Eagle Mountain.
Other upcoming efforts include a 125 km run from Vancouver to Whistler by endurance athlete and former Canadian national water polo player Matt Christopherson that occurs Sept. 6 and hopes to raise $50,000.