The power of Pelotonia continued to grow and impact lives in 2019 — in Columbus, throughout Ohio, across the country and beyond. The annual cycling event’s largest-ever number of participants — more than 13,900 — teamed up to raise $23.2 million in 2019, bringing its 11-year total to $207 million to support for cancer research at the OSUCCC – James. During its run, Pelotonia has funded 525 fellowships for promising students, several statewide screening, diagnosis and treatment initiatives, Idea Grants generating the initial data for innovative research that can lead to larger, federally-funded grants and the recruitment of some of the best and brightest cancer researchers in the world. Among the highlights of 2019, the OSUCCC – James and Pelotonia announced the launch of the Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology. $65 million of Pelotonia’s $102 million, five-year commitment will fund this groundbreaking initiative. “That’s our germline DNA, the foundation of everything we do and what we need,” says Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD, the director of the OSUCCC, of the importance of funding and the impact of Pelotonia. “And now, in a time when federal funding is flat, it’s more important than ever. Without this Pelotonia funding, we wouldn’t be able to compete for, recruit and retain the very best young scientific minds. Pelotonia allows us to create and mentor the next generation of leaders.” The promise of immuno-oncology The Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology is the newest initiative utilizing Pelotonia funds — and the largest financial commitment. “Because we’ve found immunotherapy to be effective in about 20 percent of the patients with metastatic cancer, this gives us hope,” says Zihai Li, MD, PhD, the institute’s founding director. “It means it is possible. It means there are still a lot of things we have not yet discovered and that is why research and creating the Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology is so imperative.” Li had the opportunity to ride in Pelotonia for the first time this year and was impressed and motivated by what he saw and the people he met. “Pelotonia is not a cycling event, it is an amazing, confidence-building spiritual journey to be able to ride with so many passionate people who have been touched by cancer,” he says. “To see so many cancer survivors riding was really incredible. Riding in Pelotonia has inspired me.” The next generation of cancer fighters Several young scientists became Pelotonia Fellows in 2019, joining a decade-long effort to fund future leaders in cancer research and treatment at Ohio State. Over the past 10 years, the Pelotonia Research Fellowship Program has provided more than $17 million in funding, connecting undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral fellows with faculty mentors from one of the OSUCCC – James’ five core research programs. “Our program is now in its 10th year, and some of our early fellows are already leading their own labs here at Ohio State, and at other major cancer centers around the country, and doing important work,” says Rosa Lapalombella, PhD, the director of the Pelotonia Fellowship Program. “Many of the fellows have told me that this fellowship was such an important part of their careers that they wouldn’t be where they are today without it. I love working with our undergraduate fellows and seeing them exposed to working in a lab for the first time and falling in love with it.” Connecting with the community Hundreds of members of the OSUCCC – James team ride in Pelotonia. “I think that’s an important aspect of Pelotonia,” says William Farrar, MD, the CEO of The James, who has ridden every year. “Pelotonia connected us to the community in a new way. When you have 8,000 riders and 3,000 volunteers, and all the people associated with all these riders and volunteers coming together and getting to know one another and riding together, it creates a bond and a growing awareness of The James. We now have a lot of Pelotonia people from all over the country calling us for advice and referrals and information. That’s so important and what we’re all about — helping people any way we can and giving them the best possible care.”