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2015

Frontiers Pelotonia Special Edition 2015

Many of us may remember our younger days of choosing sides for a ballgame or some other monumental competition. Sometimes we’d look across at the opposing lineup and wonder about our chances.

Frontiers Pelotonia Special Edition 2015

    Pelotonia 2015

    Many of us may remember our younger days of choosing sides for a ballgame or some other monumental competition. Sometimes we’d look across at the opposing lineup and wonder about our chances. Our global war on cancer is something like that. We face a formidable foe that is rife with biological mystery and mayhem.

    But we have a lot going for us, too, including legions of researchers, clinicians, nurses and allied professionals who work tirelessly to solve the riddles of this disease and translate scientific discoveries to better patient care and prevention strategies.

    We also have thousands of people who are committed to supporting this effort through incredibly successful events such as Pelotonia, our annual grassroots bicycle tour that raises millions of dollars for cancer research at Ohio State.

    Last year’s Pelotonia raised a record $21,049,621, pushing the six-year total for this event to more than $82.3 million. That kind of funding makes a strong difference in our ability to fight cancer, a complex disease that is biologically unique in each patient and must be approached with treatments that target the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that drive each malignancy.

    This special issue of Frontiers, devoted entirely to Pelotonia, offers a look at how money raised by the event’s generous riders, virtual riders and donors is being used at the OSUCCC – James as we pursue our vision of a cancer-free world. It also contains inspirational profiles of a researcher rider, a physician-researcher rider and a cancer-survivor rider.

    With so much on our side in our collective quest to end cancer, we shouldn’t wonder about the outcome of this supremely important match. We’re going to win. Arthur G. James, MD, for whom our hospital is named, once said that he didn’t know when cancer would be defeated, but he was certain the day is coming.

    I agree, and so should we all. Thanks to our dedicated efforts, it’s only a matter of time. Let’s roll on toward Pelotonia 15, set for Aug. 7-9. I hope to see you there.

    View the complete issue in PDF format

    Financial Review

    Riders, virtual riders and donors in Pelotonia 14, an annual cycling event that generates money for cancer research at Ohio State, raised a record $21,049,621 and boosted the six-year total for this event to $82,343,670.

    Saving Lives Statewide

    The Pelotonia-funded Ohio Colorectal Cancer Prevention Initiative (OCCPI) involves the OSUCCC – James and more than 40 Ohio hospitals working to reduce the number of deaths from and increase screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) across the state.

    Training the Next Generation

    The Pelotonia Fellowship Program annually allots $2 million to help promising Ohio State students with an interest in cancer research work in the labs of OSUCCC – James faculty mentors.

    Nurturing New Directions

    Pelotonia cyclists propel themselves through the August Ohio countryside to personally support cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove ResearchInstitute (OSUCCC – James).

    From Ideas to Impact

    Pelotonia-supported research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) can lead to important discoveries that might change patient care.

    New Hope

    Clinical trials improve cancer care by demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of new treatments, examining treatment strategies and looking at problems associated with therapies so refinements can be made.

    Drug Development Institute

    Working with the colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy and Business, the OSUCCC – James organized The Ohio State University Drug Development Institute (DDI) in 2011 to guide the development of promising anticancer drugs produced by OSUCCC – James researchers.

    Pelotonia Participation Punctuates Survivor’s Recovery

    Kathy Koontz, 52, of Dublin, has been to the bottom of the abyss and back. She hit bottom with the jolt of a February 2013 diagnosis of primary amyloidosis (known as AL), an incurable condition in which plasma cells produce an abnormal protein that accumulates in organs, leading to a decline in function and, in many cases, organ failure.

    Bringing the Best Research to Ohio State

    The OSUCCC – James attracts some of the brightest minds in cancer research, and Pelotonia dollars help them resume their studies when they arrive. Among those recruited in 2014 are these three senior researchers