Last year’s Healing Cycle for Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Palliative Care helped kickstart a service for people who are not terminal but still face life-changing health limitations.

Generosity from the community has been important for the organization to function, said executive director Bonnie Bagnulo — for this year’s Hummel Family Healing Cycle, to be held Sunday, Sept. 22, she hopes that support will continue.

“We’d like to get to that goal of $25,000, because then we get the $25,000 nomination which makes $50,000. Last year we did $60,000,” Bagnulo said. 

The marathon can be completed as a five-kilometre, 10-kilometre or 25-kilometre bike, run or walk, and will commence at 9 a.m. from 176 Wellington St.

This year, the palliative care group is hoping for funding to cover all bases. 

“It’s not just about money, it’s about services,” Bagnulo said.

After moving to a new location and expanding, government funding is not enough. 

“General donations are needed across the board, for equipment, for programs,” Bagnulo said. 

“We’ve got rent we’re paying, which we’ve never paid before.”

Organizers are looking to recruit businesses to enroll as a team for the marathon.

“What they can do is ask colleagues to collect donations to get them to that $500 corporate level,” Bagnulo said. 

The $500 corporate donation gets the business included in advertising and on T-shirts.

“We’re looking for teams of riders so that we can have more riders,” Bagnulo said. 

“It’s way more fun when we’re all riding together.”

To find out more, visit the NOTL palliative care website, or make an online donation here thehealingcycle.crowdchange.ca/69898.