Ms O'Connor must raise $12,000 to enter the event and Crema owner Tricia White has jumped on board to help her reach her goal.

The local coffee shop donated $1 from every coffee sold on Friday as well as the total sales from some freshly-made cupcakes.

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There was also a donation box which will remain on the front bench for a week to give locals a chance to put their spare change to good use.

"Customers have all stepped up and supported it today, which is really nice; it's been a really great day at the shop," Ms White said on Friday.

"Even if they aren't buying a coffee, they're still buying the cupcakes and that's what it was about."

Ms O'Connor has raised just under $9000 so far and still has just under six weeks before the event starts on March 10.

Participants will cover 1311 kilometres when they cycle from Geelong to Canberra over nine days.

This will be Ms O'Connor's first time participating in the event, but she has cycled in the Tour de Cure Great Cycling Challenge for the past four years.

Cancer has touched Ms O'Connor personally and she feels very strongly about finding a cure.

"I lost my best friend at 48 and two other friends in the same year who were 48, so that's enough motivation," she said.

Ms O'Connor will also be joined by local Kent Bestwick, who participated in the event last year.

Donations can be made online via the Tour de Cure website.