Three women from Ottawa are cycling across Newfoundland for the Riding for Phoebe Rose campaign, which aims to raise awareness about childhood cancer.

Daun Lynch, a teacher and the organizer of the campaign, said she was inspired to raise awareness for childhood cancer because two-year-old Phoebe Rose, the younger sister of one of her students, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic leukemia at just nine weeks old.

Phoebe got better, but relapsed in 2012. She received treatment and was given a clean bill of health in April 2013.

Lynch decided to wear a pink tutu during her bike ride as a dedication to the playful mindset of young children, and because Phoebe's older sister, May, wears them all the time.

She said there have been a few reactions when people see her wearing a tutu while riding her bike.

"I think they might think I'm a child who's riding my bike with my parents or something, but I think it's kind of fun. Every time I look down I think of Phoebe," Lynch said.

"Mainly, my goal is to raise awareness — I wasn't going into big fundraising. However, I am accepting — I've already got a couple donations in the past couple days from strangers, so I know that people care about this issue," Lynch said.

Lynch has cycled on the island before, but has come back to do a cross-island trek with her two running mates Heather Hillsburg and Francine Darroch.

"I've been to Newfoundland three times, but just up to the Northern Peninsula, so once we hit Deer Lake I have never seen that side," she said.

"I've always wanted to see Newfoundland and all the people … so I think it's a great place and I thought it would be a great ride to do for Phoebe."

Lynch also has a stuffed puffin on the front of her bike, and she hopes to return to Ottawa and teach children about Newfoundland.

She will purchase two other puffins in St. John’s to send back to Phoebe and her sister once they arrive in the capital at the end of July.