Cyclists can select from 25, 50, and 100-mile course options starting and finishing in Highland Falls, NY, traveling through the historic U.S. Military Academy at West Point and along the panoramic Storm King Highway with its sweeping vistas of the Hudson River before heading west into the Lower Hudson Valley. Though not a competitive race, riders will have the option to participate in discreet 鈥淜ing/Queen of the Mountain鈥� timed challenges along their route, either as individuals or as teams.
The A2C cycling event is the signature grassroots fundraising initiative for CRI鈥檚 Cancer Immunotherapy Month. Cancer Immunotherapy Month takes place annually in the month of June and is the cornerstone of the CRI鈥檚 Campaign to White Out Cancer. During Cancer Immunotherapy Month, CRI organizes a series of educational, fundraising, and online events鈥攁ll designed to raise awareness and critical funds for scientific research.
鈥淭he Cancer Research Institute hopes this ride will become an annual event for the region and that together we can make incredible strides toward finding a cure for this terrible disease, so events like this are no longer needed,鈥� said Jill O鈥橠onnell-Tormey, Ph.D., CEO and director of scientific affairs at the Cancer Research Institute.
Immunotherapy is a new and powerful approach to treating cancer that works by harnessing the immune system鈥檚 innate power to eliminate cancer. This breakthrough in cancer treatment has received considerable recent media attention, most notably former U.S. president Jimmy Carter鈥檚 successful treatment with immunotherapy. The FDA has approved several immunotherapies for melanoma, lung cancer, and kidney cancer. More treatments are in development and have the potential to help patients with many others kinds of cancer.
鈥淚mmunotherapy is gaining real momentum, but there鈥檚 an urgent need to support more research so that all cancer patients can benefit,鈥� O鈥橠onnell-Tormey added.
鈥淏ristol-Myers Squibb is a proud supporter of CRI鈥檚 Answer to Cancer cycling event to raise critical funds for cutting-edge cancer immunotherapy research,鈥� said Chris Boerner, head of U.S. commercial at Bristol-Myers Squibb, the event鈥檚 title sponsor. 鈥淟ike CRI, we at BMS are committed to advancing research in immuno-oncology and making treatment with immunotherapy available to more people with cancer.鈥�
鈥淭he Highland Falls community is honored to host CRI鈥檚 Answer to Cancer, an important event that stands to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients,鈥� said Patrick Flynn, mayor of Highland Falls. 鈥淲e love to support these kinds of charitable events because it鈥檚 a way we can give back to good causes.鈥�
Cycling enthusiasts will have the opportunity to ride with professional cyclists from the Holowesko / Citadel Racing Team, founded by former pro cyclist George Hincapie, whose company, Hincapie Sportswear, is a sponsor of CRI鈥檚 Answer to Cancer ride.
鈥淚 am proud to lend my support to CRI鈥檚 Answer to Cancer ride,鈥� said George Hincapie. 鈥淚 was inspired by these roads early in my career growing up in New York, and it is my hope they can also serve as inspiration in the fight to cure cancer.鈥�
For additional information on the Answer to Cancer or to register as a rider, virtual rider, or volunteer, go to . Riders can easily create personalized fundraising pages as well as find tips on training and fundraising.
In addition to title sponsorship from Bristol-Myers Squibb, the Answer To Cancer cycling event enjoys the support of the following sponsors: Agenus Inc., Basin Holdings (for 鈥淜ing/Queen of the Mountain鈥�), Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC , Debevoise and Plimpton, LLP, Finish Line Physical Therapy, Health Warrior, Hincapie Sportswear, Team Holowesko / Citadel, Hudson Valley Harvest, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group , Nestle Waters North America, Reynolds Cycling, The Sweat Life, Tailwind Endurance, and USA Cycling.
About the Cancer Research InstituteThe Cancer Research Institute (CRI), established in 1953, is the world鈥檚 leading nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to transforming cancer patient care by advancing scientific efforts to develop new and effective immune system-based strategies to prevent, diagnose, treat, and eventually cure all cancers. Guided by a world-renowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes three Nobel laureates and 26 members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI has invested over $311 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at the world鈥檚 leading medical centers and universities, and has contributed to many of the key scientific advances that demonstrate the potential for immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment. To learn more, go to .
Event Contact:Jasmine Wright, Events CoordinatorCancer Research Institute(212) 688-7515, x 243
Media Contact:Brian Brewer, Director of Marketing and CommunicationsCancer Research Institute(212) 688-7515 x 242[email protected] ###
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