IOWA CITY, IOWA (March 25, 2019) — Over 200 members of the 100+ Men Who Care: Hawkeye Chapter have selected Courage Ride to receive their first philanthropy donation of 2019 at their first quarterly meeting on February 21. Courage Ride is an annual charity bike-ride that has raised over $510,000 for sarcoma-cancer research at the University of Iowa’s Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center over the past 14 years.
The 100+ Men Who Care: Hawkeye Chapter brings together 100+ men in the Corridor who care about local causes and want to immediately impact their community. Their mantra is “Simple Concept, Big Impact.” Over 100 men gather quarterly, raising $10,000 or more in less than 100 minutes. Members commit to donating $100 at each meeting where they listen to three presentations from member-nominated charities and then vote on a winner.
Courage Ride is the first 501(c)3 non-profit organization to be selected twice by the Hawkeye Chapter. Courage Ride was also nominated and selected in 2016. A check presentation for over $15,500 will be made April 8 at 6:30PM at the Courage Ride monthly board meeting at the University of Iowa Tennis Center in Iowa City.
“We are extremely grateful to have been selected for a second time to receive this gift from the 100+ Men Who Care: Hawkeye Chapter”, said Leora Houghton, Courage Ride Director. “These dollars will go along way in funding more seed grants for sarcoma-cancer research and they will help support one of the largest sarcoma-tissue banks in the Midwest.”
Courage Ride is an annual bike ride honoring the life of Seth Bailey, a courageous young man who died at age 25 from sarcoma cancer in 2003. His parents, Jackie and Tom Bailey partnered with Bicyclists of Iowa City (BIC) to create a ride that all levels of cyclists can enjoy!
All proceeds from the Courage Ride go to the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Sarcoma Research Program. Since the first ride in 2005, Courage Ride has raised over $510,000 for sarcoma-cancer research. To date, Courage Ride proceeds have seeded numerous sarcoma-cancer research-grants. Many of those grants have evolved into promising, larger-scale research-studies. This newfound momentum in the Sarcoma Research Program has created a lot of enthusiasm among researchers, investigators, doctors, and cancer-care providers at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. The results are leading to new advancements, new partnerships, and attracting some of the best research-talent in the nation. Patient lives are being made better as a result of these research studies and the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is gaining worldwide recognition for its expertise in advancing sarcoma-research.
Courage Ride’s significance is underscored by the fact that funding for cancer-research has been shrinking over the past 10 years, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. Yet cancer remains one of the nation’s costliest diseases. The American Cancer Society’s 2019 estimates for soft-tissue sarcomas in the United States (these statistics include both adults and children) project that 12,750 new soft-tissue sarcomas will be diagnosed (7,240 cases in males and 5,510 cases in females) and 5,270 Americans (2,840 males and 2,430 females) are expected to die of soft-tissue sarcomas. Over 100 adults and children in Iowa are diagnosed with sarcoma each year. Sarcoma receives one to two percent of all cancer research-funding.
Courage Ride is celebrating its 15th year by relocating its event to the Big Grove Brewery and Taproom in Iowa City. Routes will continue to take riders through the Amish countryside near Kalona and out as far as North English and Millersburg. Courage Ride will be held Saturday, August 17th. More information is available at www.CourageRide.org.
