Sunday is a day of hope for families like the Weigels of Bismarck.

Darlene and Ken Weigel, and their daughter Lauren, will be at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan for the second annual Dakota Kids Cancer Ride.

It's a celebration of survival and a fundraiser for brain cancer research in conjunction with local motorcycle clubs.

"You realize it's a type of hope, to celebrate life,"Darlene Weigel said.

The Weigels' daughter has a brain tumor that was diagnosed nine years ago. She received treatment in Rochester, Minn., at the Mayo Clinic, and the family found out about a national Ride for Cancer event. They attended every year to meet up with other families and raise money for research.

Then, last year, a local motorcycle group approached the Weigels for a fundraiser. They modeled it on the national event, with money going toward the American Cancer Society and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

Darlene Weigel can name five other children who were diagnosed since her daughter and have since died.

People who are diagnosed with a brain tumor have a 40 percent fatality rate five years after diagnosis.

Advances in detection and treatment help improve the odds of surviving. In Lauren's case, when she was first treated, she had a stroke, which made her ineligible for an operation. Then technology changed, making her eligible for an operation. Since then, she has had magnetic resonance imaging, or MRIs, to track the outcome of the surgery.

"She received a letter that she is stable,"Weigel said. "I hope every family gets that letter. It is due to research and better ways to get to the brain."

Last year, the ride raised $5,000. The ride will go from the speedway, down Highway 1806 to Fort Rice Campground and back. Then there will be a program where survivors and their families will share stories.

Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. and the ride starts at 11:30 a.m. The entry fee is $25 for riders, with an additional $5 fee for passengers. Each participant will receive a free T-shirt, coffee, cookies and a lunch following the ride.

For information, call Annette at 663-4023 or go online to www.DakotakidsCR.com. The ride also will recognize Britton Redline, son of Ralph and Pam Redline; and Caleb Boehm, son of Keith Boehm and Gretchen Roots.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)