Fundraiser of the Year category: "I suppose I could be called a professional cyclist," Colin Anderson muses, mulling over the thousands of dollars he has raised for cancer.
The Palmerston North postman, 66, is addicted to cycling. He has converted that hard work into fundraising for CanTeen (supporting young people living with cancer) after his own brush with the disease.
"I'm one of the lucky ones. They cut out my prostate cancer, threw it away and that's it. That was six years ago. Unfortunately some friends have caught cancer pretty late and ended badly.
"My cancer ordeal put me off work for five months. I started painting the house and overdid it and ended up with a couple of hernias. Then I went down to Invercargill and spent 24 hours riding on the velodrome; 40km doesn't interest me in the least. 400km is more my thing."
He still hasn't stopped door-knocking to get sponsors for his Lake Taupo circuit, or missions between the islands and across the US and Canada. "I've been amazed with the support I've received ... $10 or $15 here and there; other money from bigger causes. It becomes embarrassing knocking on doors. But the support has been marvellous."
