Athina Merckx

I'm fundraising for Desmoid Tumour research

I am riding in Athina’s Ride to raise funds for Desmoid research through The Desmoid Tumour Foundation of Canada (DFC).

This ride is very close to my heart. I was diagnosed with Desmoid Tumours 6 years ago. Desmoids are extremely rare, affecting 2-4/million. They are locally aggressive and can cause life threatening problems or even death when they invade vital organs. The tendency for recurrence with surgery makes the treatment of these very rare tumours challenging. 

My diagnosis brought me an awareness of this disease and a community of others who have also been affected by it. While Desmoids are rare the community is big. Together we can change how the world understands Desmoids, every little bit helps. 

Rare conditions like Desmoids are underfunded, often leading to misdiagnosis and discrepancies in treatment. Athina’s Ride is a new Virtual Cycling Event that will bring riders together everywhere to help raise money for this important research. 

Please help me reach my fundraising goal to find a cure for Desmoid Tumours. 

To donate securely, visit my fundraising page! While you’re there, be sure to check out my progress leading up to the big ride in July and consider joining Athina’s Ride with me!