Pedaling Research
No matter how you spin it, our Pelotonia bicycle tour has hit the big time by becoming, in just four years, the nation’s largest single-event biking fundraiser as measured by riders.
Pelotonia 12 drew 6,212 riders from 43 states and three countries, as well as 3,141 virtual riders. Collectively, these individuals, along with more than 80,000 donors, raised nearly $16.9 million to bring our four-year fundraising total to more than $42 million for cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
That sounds extraordinary, but it’s exactly the kind of financial support that we must generate to bridge the funding gap we face amid ever-dwindling government allocations for cancer research, which ultimately holds the keys to curing this disease in its many forms. And thanks to Pelotonia’s generous underwriters, every cent raised by riders and donors goes directly to cancer research at Ohio State.
Funds from the 2012 Pelotonia have not been totally allocated, but in this special issue of Frontiers – devoted entirely to our still-young cycling extravaganza – we recap the 2012 event and summarize how revenue raised by Pelotonia has been devoted to such areas as student fellowships for cancer research, Idea Grants to teams of faculty cancer researchers, purchases of sophisticated equipment for use by our researchers, and the recruitment and retention of brilliant cancer scientists to our faculty.
We also offer: closer looks at a few of the students and faculty who have received Pelotonia allocations and the important work that those dollars are supporting an “Ideas to Impact” story showing two examples of how projects supported by Pelotonia are already helping to reduce cancer risk in the community; a story about two innovative, Pelotonia-supported clinical trials that are generating new hope; a profile of a cancer survivor who rides in and also leads a rider group in Pelotonia (page 16); and a glimpse at gene sequencing technology purchased with Pelotonia funds and the impact it will have on cancer treatment.
This issue closes with biosketches of gifted scientists who have joined our faculty in the past year or so with the help of Pelotonia money, and information about how to register as a rider, donor or volunteer for Pelotonia 13, which will unfold from Aug. 9-11. Please join us if you can. The more riders we have, the more money we will raise toward a cancer-free world.
View the complete issue in PDF format