Ride 4 Research Rider profile: Mara Ferraro
When you commit to anything in life, you need to do it with a smile. This has been my approach to cycling, work and family.
Cycling has been my passion for the past 15 years, though I did graduate from the local triathlon series scene first. I can still remember the fun and excitement of getting back on the bike for the first time after a long break. My priorities for a little while in the past were directed to raising 3 wonderful children, who have now started their own life journeys away from the family home.
I find riding a bike such a joyful experience. Be it climbing up a long meditative mountain, sharing a coffee with my cycling buddies after a social ride or as a coach, mentoring other women to learn how to ride and improve their confidence on a bike.
In the last few years I have become involved with the Whittlesea Bicycle Users Group and apart from leading rides in the community we advocate strongly with our LGA’s for better and safer cycling infrastructure. I am also a member of Audax and can vouch strongly that we really do ride those long distances just to get to the next best country bakery.
I could say that I’m equally passionate about food, not just inhaling it after a long hard ride as many cyclists would testify too, but savouring the cooking and delight of eating meals cooked with love.
Most of my working life has been in the health sector, though I did dabble as a Physical Education and Biology Secondary teacher for a short burst. I spent 11 years at Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre working in rehabilitation with people who incurred life changing injuries or illness.
From 2010 to 2016 I also diversified into spinal cord injury research and project coordinated several creative and innovative research treatment trials. Currently I work at Northern Health in another research program called Patient Watch.
My husband and I have been fortunate to travel and experience several countries on two wheels. You feel so immersed, meeting the locals, seeing the sights and enjoying the spontaneity that touring on a bike gives.
To date riding a bicycle has played an important part of my life and as a soon to be grandmother, I’m very much looking forward to passing on the passion and joy of riding to the next generation of our family.
Cancer touches everyone’s lives in so many different ways. Both my parents died prematurely from different cancers.
I look forward to raising the profile of Rare Ovarian Cancer and assist in raising funds to support research into this area.
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