[media-credit name=’Photo courtesy tourofhope.org’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]As both a cancer survivor and University of Wisconsin professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine, Sheila McGuirk is preparing for the ride of her life.

McGuirk has been selected to join 20 fellow cyclists touched by cancer to ride with Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong in the upcoming Tour of Hope, a weeklong bicycle journey starting in Los Angeles Oct. 1 and ending in Washington, D.C., Oct. 9.

Being an active cyclist throughout the past 25 years, the ability to return to cycling was an important step in McGuirk’s recovery from colon cancer. Since her recovery, McGuirk and her husband, Dr. Paul Manley, also a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine, have dedicated a part of their lives to cancer research.

“Although we were pretty dedicated before,” Manley said, “it was a wake-up call for us when Sheila had surgery.”

McGuirk was surprised when she received a phone call from the Tour of Hope informing her she had been selected out of 1,200 applicants.

“Initially she didn’t think she heard right, then she screamed and our daughter thought something was wrong,” Manley said.

As a cyclist and fan of Armstrong, McGuirk considered the Tour of Hope a great opportunity.

The purpose of the tour is to raise awareness about cancer. Each participating cyclist and more than 50,000 people who visited the tour’s website have made a promise and personal commitment to help others learn about the disease. This promise includes acknowledging the need for clinical research.

“I know that survival rates today are much better than they were in 1996, when I was diagnosed, because research has brought at least five or six more treatment options to cancer patients,” McGuirk said.

Each cyclist received personal training and worked one-on-one with members of Armstrong’s coaching team. The workout schedule included sessions between 11 and 16 hours of biking each week. Since June, McGuirk has logged more than 3,500 miles and yet still claims she has never “once lost sight of the reason I was doing the ride.”

The campaign is also noteworthy because prostate cancer survivor Armstrong will join the cyclists in several cities throughout the tour.

“He is a living example of the importance of cancer clinical trials, and he is one of the most visible advocates for cancer research being a national health care priority,” McGuirk said.

Mike McLean, a UW senior whose family has been affected by cancer, would like to participate in the Tour of Hope in the future. Having completed two Ironman competitions to raise money for cancer, McLean spoke on the importance and privilege of the Tour of Hope.

“It is quite an honor to participate in the Tour of Hope,” he said. “I would do the Tour of Hope this year if they selected me … however, it is not easy to be selected.”

Manley and his family plan to cheer on McGuirk Oct. 6 in Waterloo, Wis., when the tour travels through the Midwest. They also plan on joining her at the finish line in Washington, D.C.

Above all, McGuirk said her purpose is to make others aware of the strive to cure cancer.

“I want to spread the message of hope!” she said.