Accompanied by San Francisco firefighters, Canadian rollerblader Christine Ichim will skate across the city on Friday to raise awareness for the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation.
Ichim was the first woman ever to rollerblade across Canada in 1996, in efforts to raise awareness for cancer research.
Ichim planned to start the day’s journey at 8:30 a.m., skating from Ocean Beach to Point Lobos Avenue, and then across San Francisco through Geary, Presidio, Lombard and Columbus avenues, along with the Embarcadero. She expected to finish her journey at the San Francisco Fire Department Headquarters at 11 a.m.
Oct. 15 also marks the 25th anniversary of Ichim’s 5,000-mile journey across Canada.
“Research saves lives,” said Ichim. “My mother lived 20 years on borrowed time because of advances in medical research. One area of research that is underfunded is how to prevent cancer following exposure to smoke from structural and wildland fires. We have the power to turn the tide and change our fate. Cancer is now the number one cause of death of firefighters. We can change that,” said Ichim in a statement.
Once she arrives, the Consulate General of Canada and the San Francisco Firefighter Cancer Prevention Foundation will present a donation.
More information about Ichim’s route and timing of stops along the way can be found online.