Financial adviser embarks on Epic bike ride for diabetes research

The donor: Andy Kovacs

The Gift: Helping raise $40,000 and climbing

The Cause: Canadian Diabetes Association

Andy Kovacs has always enjoyed sports, swimming and karate in particular. But until a year or so ago, he had not done much cycling.

That changed when Mr. Kovacs decided to join a five-day bike ride from Windsor, Ont., to Ottawa to raise money for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

"I had a bike, I could ride and that's why I decided to do it," recalled Mr. Kovacs, a financial planner with Sun Life Financial in Markham, Ont. Mr. Kovacs completed the journey, raising $20,000 as part of a team of 21 other people.

The ride, called the Sun Life Financial Epic Cycle, covers 1,000 kilometres, and Mr. Kovacs is participating again this year. He and a group of seven other cyclists will set off on June 22 and they have raised $20,000 in total, so far.

"Diabetes has touched a number of people in my life – family, friends and clients – and I want to do something about this," he said. "It's just a great cause."