Memorial Sloan Kettering's Cycle for Survival Exceeds $250 Million for Rare Cancer Research

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cycle for Survival, the movement to beat rare cancers, made history by topping $250 million raised since it was founded in 2007. The grassroots fundraising effort includes donations from more than one million individuals across all 50 states. This milestone reflects the determination and generosity of a passionate community uniting to fight rare cancers. Every dollar raised goes to clinical trials, research studies and groundbreaking technologies pioneered by Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

Maximizing their success with the peer-to-peer fundraising model, Cycle for Survival has grown consistently over the past 14 years, with significant growth in the previous few years. More than half of the $250 million total was raised in the past three years.

Equinox, Cycle for Survival's founding partner and host, has been essential to the fundraising achievements since the beginning. In celebration of the $250 million raised, Equinox provided a $500,000 donation match yesterday to help drive Cycle for Survival over the extraordinary quarter of a billion dollars mark.

In honor of this milestone, and to celebrate the 11^th year of Cycle for Survival events in Chicago, Willis Tower lit its iconic antennas orange on February 8 during the local rides.

Starting as a single indoor cycling ride in New York City with just 230 people on 50 bikes, Cycle for Survival now has more than 37,000 participants on 9,000 bikes, and 250,000 donors annually. Participating teams include more than 1,100 corporate teams from 610 companies rallying colleagues to ride together. Cycle for Survival's signature stationary cycling events, led by instructors from Equinox, take place in 17 cities across the country this January, February and March.

The $250 million raised by Cycle for Survival has allowed hundreds of MSK physicians, scientists and research teams to pursue bold ideas to change the way cancer is diagnosed and treated. Their investigations have made a direct impact on patient care, including FDA-approved drugs and effective experimental therapies. Cycle for Survival donations often provide vital seed funding for new research endeavors.

All of the money raised is allocated within the six months following the close of fundraising annually. The funds go directly to research and clinical trials for rare cancers, which affect about half of all cancer patients and include thyroid, brain, ovarian, pancreatic, all pediatric cancers and many others. As doctors and researchers pursue new treatments, Cycle for Survival provides urgently needed resources. Visit www.CycleforSurvival.org to learn more.

MORE INFORMATION

About Cycle for Survival
Join the Battle. Cycle for Survival is the movement to beat rare cancers. Since 2007, Cycle for Survival has raised more than $250 million through its signature indoor team cycling events across the United States to help fund pioneering rare cancer research led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which owns and operates Cycle for Survival. 100 percent of every donation funds rare cancer research. About half of all cancer patients are fighting a rare cancer, and they often face limited or no treatment options. Together with the movement's founding partner, Equinox, Cycle for Survival has supported innovative clinical trials, research studies and major scientific initiatives. For a list of events, research updates and additional information, visit https://www.cycleforsurvival.org and follow Cycle for Survival on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. 

About Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) is the world's oldest and largest private cancer center, home to more than 20,000 physicians, scientists, nurses, and staff united by a relentless dedication to conquering cancer. As an independent institution, MSK combines 130 years of research and clinical leadership with the freedom to provide highly individualized, exceptional care to each patient. MSK is consistently ranked the number-one hospital for cancer care in the Northeast and among the top two cancer hospitals nationwide. MSK's always-evolving educational programs continue to train new leaders in the field, here and around the world. www.mskcc.org.

About Equinox
IT'S NOT FITNESS. IT'S LIFE: Founded in 1991, Equinox was built on the notion that fitness can empower a life well-lived and foster a strong community of high performance individuals. Nearly 30 years later, Equinox continues to lead and disrupt the category it singularly defined, operating over 100 full-service Clubs globally across major US cities including New York, LA, Miami and San Francisco as well as London, Toronto and Vancouver, each featuring bespoke design in an unparalleled luxury environment. Grounded in the core tenets of Movement, Nutrition and Regeneration and backed by a Health Advisory Board of industry-leading experts across these disciplines, the company offers a holistic approach to fitness, inclusive of Equinox signature group fitness classes, personal training, Pilates, spa services, apparel, experiential travel and food & beverage. In July 2019, Equinox unveiled Equinox Hotels as a true culmination of its lifestyle brand promise, redefining the luxury hospitality experience to be a seamless extension of high performance living. For more information, visit www.equinox.com.

CONTACT:
Mary Conway
[email protected]
516-606-6545

SOURCE Cycle for Survival

Related Links

http://www.CycleforSurvival.org