18 Feb 2016

USO cyclists continue health mission

3:09 pm on 18 February 2016
USO cyclists taking a break

USO cyclists taking a break Photo: USO Bike Ride

With sore legs and aching muscles a group of more than 40 cyclists is continuing its mission to deliver key health messages to Pacific and Maori communities across New Zealand.

The bike riders, part of the USO group, started their journey in Bluff on February 11 and have covered over 800 kilometres with about 1,200 kilometres left to go.

Many of the riders are linked by cancer and they want to share the impact the disease has had on their loved ones.

The founder of the group, Chris Te'o, who lost his wife and father to cancer, said Pacific and Maori communities have really come out to support them.

"We are just buoyed with those messages that uplift us and motivates us. We have done all the hard training but there are points in time where everybody goes through a high and a lot of us goes through lows but when people are at a high, they can pick up those people that are at a low and reading some of those messages we get just really uplifts us."

The team expects to reach Kaitaia on February 26.

USO means brother in Samoa and the group also defines it as 'Understanding, Strengthening, Overcoming.'