Padres Pedal the Cause reaches $10 million raised for local cancer research
Padres Pedal the Cause presented a check for a record-breaking total of $2,940,837 on Thursday, Jan. 24 to beneficiary representatives from Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego. The funds, raised from the annual 2018 event at Petco Park, represent the largest contribution in the history of the organization, and brings the six-year donation total to more than $10 million for local translational research and clinical trials that are accelerating cures for cancer.
Padres Pedal the Cause Executive Director Anne Marbarger unveiled the check during a celebratory gathering of hundreds of event participants, San Diego business leaders, top donors and fundraisers, as well as Padres Pedal founders, Bill and Amy Koman. Marbarger shared the stage with San Diego native Tony Gwynn, Jr., Dr. Christopher Kane of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, and representatives from each of the institutions benefitting from the fundraising. The evening’s remarks were kicked off by Susan Couch, senior vice president and senior client relationship manager of commercial banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, San Diego. Bank of America was the presenting sponsor of the Padres Pedal the Cause Annual Check Celebration.
“2018 was an unprecedented year for Padres Pedal the Cause – we expanded our community with the addition of a 5K run/walk on event day, we hit our largest annual fundraising total to date, and we awarded a record number of grants to fund translational cancer research projects, including, for the first time, five clinical trials,” Marbarger said. “It’s inspiring to see the impact of the Padres
Pedal community in San Diego, raising over $10 million to accelerate cures, with 100 percent of those funds staying local to fund the region’s top cancer research and treatment centers. Cancer affects every one of us in some way, and we are proud to invest in local research.”
Padres Pedal the Cause witnessed impressive growth in its fundraising and participation efforts from the annual event that took place at Petco Park on Nov. 17, 2018. The event welcomed 2,513 participants – an increase of 35 percent – and total fundraising grew by 22 percent. The organization raised enough funding to completely underwrite operational costs, thanks to the generous support of corporate sponsors and private donors, allowing all funds raised by participants to be donated to cancer research. 2018 sponsors included many San Diego companies such as BD, Sempra Energy, NuVasive, Illumina and Qualcomm. In addition to fundraising, participants cycle 25 to 100 miles on one of four routes across San Diego, spin in a high-energy stationary bike class on the field, run or walk a 5K along the Embarcadero, or ride a tricycle or scooter in the kids’ challenge. Each event ended on the field at Petco Park with live music, food, and activities for teams and families.
Registration for the 2019 event, taking place on Nov. 16, 2019, will open in mid-April; for more information on how to join Padres Pedal as a sponsor or event participant, please visit www.gopedal.org. —News release