SOUTH DEERFIELD — For many Bikes Fight Cancer cyclists, they are riding in honor of friends or family members who have battled the disease that has touched the lives of so many people.

For Justin Kasunick, though, it’s more personal. The 50-year-old Deerfield resident overcame his battle with cancer in 2022 and has participated in the growing charity ride the last two years in an effort to inspire his kids.

The goal, he said, is “to show them that you have an obstacle and you can keep going.”

“They found out I had cancer and, navigating that, the fear around just hearing the word ‘cancer,’ you’ve got to get through it. And the kids saw me get through it and we celebrated it,” Kasunick said. “I try to teach my kids, what you put out in the world, you get back tenfold.”

Kasunick and more than 600 other cyclists will be hitting the roads in Franklin County on Saturday, June 14, as Bikes Fight Cancer’s sixth annual charity ride kicks off from Tree House Brewing Co. in South Deerfield.

After raising more than $170,000 in 2024, Bikes Fight Cancer co-founders Meghan and Johnny Morin said they are aiming to reach the $200,000 mark this year. This year’s theme is “One Ride. One Community. One Goal.” The couple said the theme choice really defines what Bikes Fight Cancer has built over the last six years.

“It’s pretty powerful what we’re doing as a community,” Meghan Morin said. “This is an outlet for them to feel empowered in their fight against cancer. It’s a little jaw-dropping to us that we’ve gotten to this point and so many people are engaged in it.”

“One of the reasons why we started this ride was to bring people together,” Johnny Morin added. “Our goal the last six years was to build a community, which we have. … We’re all coming together for that one goal.”

The community, Kasunick and the Morins said, has really coalesced around the event.

“It’s all from the heart — you can see it in the riders and in the community and in the support,” Kasunick said. “It’s incredible to see it grow.”

The Morins added that it isn’t just residents of the Pioneer Valley who are joining the effort. Although the vast majority of riders are from here, Bikes Fight Cancer’s farthest rider is coming from Freeport, Florida. Saturday’s event will also feature 61 riders from Connecticut, six from Maine, three from Washington D.C., eight from New York and two from Michigan, among several other riders from different states.

“We’ve seen great engagement from our participants so far, above previous years,” Meghan Morin said. “We’re excited about bringing some new people into the mix and getting some fresh energy.”

Bikes Fight Cancer is a volunteer-run organization, which the Morins said means operational and overhead costs are low, so 100% of rider-raised funds go directly to cancer programs in the region. The event is sponsored by Valley Solar, BankESB, Joe’s Garage Inc. and Magic for Maddie, among others.

This year, Bikes Fight Cancer is raising money for the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Center for Human Development’s Cancer House of Hope, Northampton’s Cancer Connection and Camp Rising Sun in Colebrook, Connecticut.

While cyclist registration is full, Bikes Fight Cancer is seeking volunteers to help facilitate the event. Those who are interested in lending a hand can sign up at bikereg.com/bfc.

The first round of cyclists will hit the road at 8 a.m. and the final group will hit Routes 5 and 10 at 9:30 a.m., with options to travel 25 miles or 50 miles. Riders will travel through Deerfield, Greenfield, Turners Falls, Gill, Northfield and Sunderland before returning to Tree House for a post-ride celebration featuring food trucks, coffee, beer and more.

To support a Bikes Fight Cancer rider or team, visit pledgereg.com/bfc.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.