April 21, 2023

Pedaling in Paris to Ancaster is a Family Affair for Dr. Yaron Shargall

Riding in Paris to Ancaster is a family affair for Dr. Yaron Shargall, a renowned thoracic surgeon, professor, mentor, and researcher at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Together with his daughter Mor, and two sons, Omer and Asaf, the Shargall clan is taking on the 45km route of this spring cycling classic while raising funds to support lung cancer research at our Hospital.

“We’re a cycling family,” explains Dr. Shargall. “Paris to Ancaster is a well-known, well-run, and well-regarded event in the cycling community, and St. Joe’s is so fortunate to be the charity beneficiary of all funds raised through it. The race is a great way for us to spend time together as a family, ride through some of the beautiful escarpment land surrounding the Hospital, and raise funds that will help to create a healthier future for the patients served by our Hospital,” he adds.

Dr. Shargall and his daughter Mor after one of their bike rides.

This is the eighth year in a row that funds raised through Paris to Ancaster have supported health research underway at The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton. Since the inception of this partnership, nearly $400,000 has been raised to support health research of all kinds at the Hospital. And when participants who work at St. Joe’s, like Dr. Shargall, raise $5,000 or more, they’re able to allocate those funds to research within their own department or clinical specialty!

Dr. Shargall is hoping he can reach that $5,000 milestone so that he can designate the funds raised by Team Shargall for Lung Cancer Research to support studies that will help those living with cancers of the lungs and chest. You can help him get there by making a gift to support his fundraising team!

Support Team Shargall for Lung Cancer Research

This isn’t the first time Dr. Shargall has pedaled his way through P2A (as it’s fondly referred to by avid cyclists in the region). Last year he completed the brand new 100km course along with two other clinician-researchers from the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health – Dr. Kjetil Ask (who has since moved on), and Dr. Mark Inman.

Through these two P2A events alone (not including all the training he’s surely doing), Dr. Shargall will have pedaled more than 145km…that’s the distance from Hamilton to Barrie, Ontario! Now that’s some serious pedaling prowess.