Victoria teen pedals across Canada for Terry Fox Foundation

Published 5:45 am Friday, July 10, 2026

Mateo Berkhout cycles across Canada to raise funds for the Terry Fox Foundation. (Photo courtesy of Mateo Berkhout)

What began as a gap-year adventure has become a cross-country fundraiser that has already raised thousands of dollars for cancer research.

Victoria’s Mateo Berkhout, 18, is cycling from Mile 0 in Victoria to Mile 0 in St. John’s, N.L., raising money for the Terry Fox Foundation.

Berkhout left the Terry Fox memorial near Beacon Hill Park on May 1 and expects to complete the journey in less than three months. As of this week, he had spent more than two months on the road and was nearing the New Brunswick-Quebec border, with roughly three weeks remaining.

Berkhout said he has been biking pretty much since he could walk.

“It’s always been kind of a dream of mine to go across the country. I haven’t really seen a lot of it. It’s a pretty beautiful place,” he said.

The idea to turn the ride into a fundraiser came from his grandmother.

“She was like, ‘You should raise money for charity.’ I thought that was a great idea,” he said. Berkhout chose the Terry Fox Foundation because of its connection to his journey and because cancer has affected people close to him.

“My Opa had cancer and a few family friends of mine had cancer, so it’s pretty close to home,” he said. “Terry Fox was trying to go across the country to raise money for cancer research. I’m going across the country too. It just felt like a fitting charity.”

Berkhout’s goal is to raise $10,000, roughly $1 for every kilometre of the trip. So far, donors have contributed about $7,000, and he believes he’ll surpass that target before the ride ends.

“I think it’s possible,” he said. “It started out pretty slow, but in the last couple of weeks it’s really picked up. I’m hoping to hit $10,000 before I’m done.”

All donations go directly to the Terry Fox Foundation through its online fundraising platform.

The ride hasn’t come without challenges.

British Columbia’s mountain climbs tested his legs, while relentless prairie headwinds often cut his daily distance in half. But Berkhout said the biggest obstacle has been staying mentally motivated.

“It’s a long trip,” he said. “Every day you wake up and go, ‘I’m going to bike.’ Even if I only go 80 kilometres today, that’s OK. I’m just going to keep going.”

He averages about 100 kilometres a day, although some days have stretched to 200 kilometres with favourable weather and others have ended after just 50 kilometres because of difficult conditions.

Living mostly out of a tent, Berkhout carries nearly everything he needs on his bike, including camping gear and cooking equipment. He prepares simple meals, often relying on oatmeal for breakfast and pasta for dinner, while consuming thousands of calories each day to fuel the ride.

He said one of the most memorable parts of the journey has been the kindness of strangers.

Through the Warm Showers hospitality network and spontaneous encounters along the road, people have offered him places to stay, meals, showers, snacks and even donations.

“When you’re on a bike in the middle of nowhere, and people find out you’re raising money for cancer research, they’re really welcoming,” he said. “People are great.”

Berkhout hopes his ride inspires others to get outside, explore Canada and make a positive difference in their communities.

“I’m just a normal person,” he said. “Anyone can do something like this. You don’t have to raise money. Go for a bike ride, go for a hike, go see the country and talk to people. Every day, try to make the world a little better.”

People can support Berkhout’s fundraiser through the Terry Fox Foundation donation page ride.terryfox.ca/128663/team/78383