Hobart firefighter Justin Lownds, cancer survivor Natasha Heazlewood and Launceston firefighter Adrian Adams at Longford yesterday.
TASMANIAN firefighters will today finish a gruelling ride across eastern Australia to raise money for cancer research.
The nine-strong group expects to today pedal to the Hobart fire station after riding an average of 175 kilometres a day, after leaving Brisbane on January 1.
The group, called Headin' South for a Cure, has raised nearly $70,000 of their $100,000 target for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. Ride participant and Launceston firefighter Adrian Adams said names of people affected by cancer were each day stuck on the back of a support vehicle.
Yesterday, it was the turn of Mr Adams's sister-in-law Natasha Heazlewood, a cancer survivor, to have her name on the back of the car.
The mother of two, who travelled in the support fleet yesterday, said it was a special day for her and a way to help the cancer support services that had helped her so much.
Mr Adams said the riders had to contend with long days and temperatures in Queensland and New South Wales approaching 50 degrees last week. But he said riders just had to look at those names on the back of the support vehicle to realise some people had bigger problems.
The other two names featured yesterday were the late Cyril and Doreen Drake. Their grandson, Hobart firefighter Justin Lownds, said it was an emotional day for him and he was glad to help a great cause.