Projections indicate that this year’s event, held Aug. 3-5 on 10 riding routes between the Columbus area and Gambier, Ohio, may yield another record yearly fundraising amount thanks to the combined efforts of the thousands of people who rode in, donated to or volunteered for this monumental undertaking.
Shortly before the official Oct. 5 fundraising deadline, the Pelotonia website indicated that the 2018 event had raised more than $20 million — boosting the overall 10-year total to more than $176 million — but the money was still being counted. A final total will be revealed at the Nov. 15 check celebration.
Whatever the total, we can all be assured that, because of Pelotonia’s major funding partners — including Huntington, L Brands Foundation, Peggy and Richard Santulli, and the AEP Foundation — every dollar raised by riders, virtual riders and donors will go directly to cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
So in a wider sense, although the tallying is done, we are not really putting a lid on Pelotonia 18. Yet to come from this year’s outing are all of the funding allocations and the exciting discoveries they will surely yield in our continuing quest to conquer cancer.
This investment report summarizes how Pelotonia funds have been distributed over the event’s first nine years to benefit such key areas as an Intramural Research Program for teams of faculty scientists, a Fellowship Program for students conducting cancer research with faculty mentors, purchases of sophisticated equipment, large-scale strategic investments, major statewide initiatives to improve cancer prevention and care around Ohio, and support for newly recruited cancer scientists.
Pelotonia represents our collective retaliation against cancer, a formidable foe that in some way touches the lives of everyone. Pelotonia 18 was fueled by 8,470 riders, more than 3,000 virtual riders, over 3,000 volunteers, and countless donors and planners. To each of you we extend our deepest gratitude for helping us pursue our shared vision of creating a cancer-free world.
Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD
Director, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
William Farrar, MD
Interim CEO, James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute