Third Annual YSC Tour de Pink® 2012 West Coast Ride Comes To Southern California October 12-14

Register Now To Raise Awareness and Support the More Than 250,000 Young Women Living in the U.S. Today Who Are Affected by Breast Cancer

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the first nonprofit organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer, will host its third annual YSC Tour de Pink^® West Coast cycling event in Southern California from October 12–14, 2012.

Planned to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this year's three-day event will begin at the headquarters of Giant Bicycles in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and conclude at Oakley's world headquarters in Foothill Ranch, Calif. A one-day option is also available for Sunday, October 14, which will start at the Dana Point Marina and finish with a festive finale party at Oakley. Participants will enjoy breathtaking ocean views while cycling along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, one of America's most famous roadways (ride details). Registration for the three-day ride will close on Wednesday, September 12.

"Tour de Pink was created to empower young women diagnosed with breast cancer," commented Young Survival Coalition CEO Jennifer Merschdorf. "Our riders create an incredibly strong community one wishes they could experience every day. Combine that with the inspiration everyone feels as they watch a young woman climb on a bike to reclaim her body after being diagnosed with breast cancer and you truly have the experience of a lifetime."

Merschdorf, who is originally from California and a young breast cancer survivor herself, is currently training for her first Tour de Pink rides as a means of taking her body back from cancer after being diagnosed less than two years ago at the age of 36. Merschdorf will ride both the three-day West Coast ride, as well as the East Coast event that starts in Philadelphia, Pa., on September 28 and ends in Washington, D.C. on September 30. She's chronicling her experiences training for Tour de Pink on YSC's blog.

Three-day rides feature full support, including hotel accommodations, catered meals, rest stops, support and gear (SAG) vehicles and mechanics. Each event is limited to 200 riders.

YSC's inaugural Tour de Pink ride took place on the East Coast in 2004. The original ride spanned 200 miles from the suburbs of Boston, Mass., to the NYU Cancer Institute in New York. It generated more than $26,000 to assist YSC in delivering free comprehensive resources, support and educational materials, as well as raise awareness that young women can and do get breast cancer. Growing from five cyclists in 2004, YSC anticipates that more than 1,400 riders will participate in this year's Tour de Pink events.

Emergen-C, maker of flavored fizzy vitamin drink mixes, is a proud supporter of YSC Tour de Pink. Benefiting breast cancer charities since 2007, Emergen-C Pink has raised more than $500,000 for the cause.

YSC Tour de Pink would also like to thank event sponsors Liv/giant Bicycles, Oakley and Nektar.

To register for any of YSC's Tour de Pink rides or to make a donation please visit www.ysctourdepink.org.

About YSC Tour de Pink
Co-founded in 2004 by Lisa J. Frank and Matt Purdue, YSC Tour de Pink was created to raise awareness and funds for Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the first nonprofit organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer. Growing from five cyclists in 2004, YSC anticipates that more than 1,400 riders will participate in this year's Tour de Pink events, which are scheduled to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The three rides will take place in the South (Atlanta, Ga.) and on the East and West Coasts of the United States. To date, the rides have generated more than $5 million to support young women diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as increased recognition that young women can and do get breast cancer. Please visit www.ysctourdepink.org for more information or to make a donation.

About Young Survival Coalition (YSC)
Established in 1998, Young Survival Coalition (YSC) was the first nonprofit organization to focus exclusively on the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer. Founded by young survivors for young survivors, YSC began as a grassroots organization to advocate on behalf of all young women diagnosed with breast cancer to increase their quality and quantity of life. Based in New York, with affiliates nationwide, YSC today provides comprehensive resources, support and education to address every phase of a young woman's breast cancer experience. YSC produces resources and educational materials such as its ResourceLink program, Newly Diagnosed Resource Kit (NDRK), Metastatic Navigator and is well known for its three national Tour de Pink rides. It also co-presents the C4YW - Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer. For more information or to make a donation, please visit: www.youngsurvival.org.

SOURCE Young Survival Coalition