Calling All Bikers: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Announces Tour de Fox 2016 Series Cycling Events

NEW YORK, May 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) today announced the launch of the Tour de Fox 2016 Series. This series of summer cycling events in the United States and Canada invites cyclists of all ages and abilities to grab their helmets, pump up their tires and help speed a cure for Parkinson's disease.

From leisurely scenic rides to physically demanding routes, Tour de Fox Series events offer something for everyone, regardless of experience level. Non-cyclists are invited to join finish-line festivities for live music, food and more. The 2016 event schedule is as follows:

Saturday, July 16:          Great Lakes (Cleveland, Ohio)
Saturday, August 20:      Pacific Northwest (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Saturday, August 27:      Wine Country (Santa Rosa, California)

• Riders are encouraged to register early. Registration is $50 per person and riders are required to raise a minimum of $200 by the day of the ride. Registration is now open at tourdefox.org/register.
• Course distances and start times vary across events. Short, medium and long course options are available for cyclists of all ages and ability levels.
• Starting at noon local time, each event will host a finish-line festival with live music, food trucks and kid-friendly activities. All are welcome to participate and connect with the local Parkinson's community.
• Donations to the Tour de Fox will be accepted through the end of 2016.

The Tour de Fox is a signature event of Team Fox, the Foundation's worldwide grassroots network of community fundraisers. Team Fox members, many patients or loved ones of patients, raise millions of dollars annually, with 100 percent of Team Fox proceeds going directly to MJFF's cutting-edge research programs. The Foundation is working urgently to speed development of better treatments and ultimately, a cure, for the estimated five million people worldwide living with Parkinson's disease.

Tour de Fox Origins
Tour de Fox was the brainchild of ultra-athlete and MJFF staffer Sam Fox (no relation to Michael J. Fox), who crowd-sourced ideas for an extreme fundraising event at SXSW in 2013, resulting in the inaugural Tour de Fox in 2015. Sam combined his athletic skills with his entrepreneurial spirit to raise funds for research and honor his mother, Lucy, who has lived with Parkinson's disease since 2000. In summer 2015, Sam undertook a 14,000-mile odyssey across the contiguous United States and into Vancouver, Canada, biking thousands of miles and climbing 49 high peaks. Along the way, he was joined by 3,000 members of the Parkinson's community who climbed, cycled, donated or hosted celebration events — bringing together Parkinson's patients, families and their community and raising $2.5 million for research.

"The unwavering passion and support of this community ensure that the Tour de Fox will live on and continue supporting research toward a cure," said Sam, who will join all 2016 Tour de Fox Series events. "I'm ready to tackle this new challenge, meet new faces and saddle up."

Register for the Tour de Fox Series or donate to support the event at tourdefox.org.

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers.  In addition to funding more than $600 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world.

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SOURCE The Michael J. Fox Foundation

Related Links

http://www.tourdefox.org