Courage Ride, a bicycle ride that raises funds for sarcoma cancer research, presented a check for $65,000 to the University of Iowa’s Sarcoma Research Program during an Oct. 21 ceremony at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. More than 500 riders participated in this year’s Courage Ride, which was held Aug. 14.
Dr. Ben Miller, co-leader of the Sarcoma MOG, associate professor orthopedics and rehabilitation, and Dr. George Wiener, director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, accepted the check on behalf of the center’s Sarcoma Cancer Research Program.
Over the past 17 years, Courage Ride has raised over $725,000 for sarcoma cancer research — having a major impact on cancer patients and families who benefit from the research.
Courage Ride is an annual event that was founded in 2005 by Jackie and Tom Bailey of Riverside, Iowa, to honor the courage of their son, Seth, who passed away at age 25 after battling sarcoma for eight years.
All proceeds from Courage Ride go to the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Sarcoma Research Program at the University of Iowa. Courage Ride donations make up 85% of all sarcoma seed grant funding at the university. Since 2005, those dollars have seeded numerous sarcoma research grants, several that have developed into larger, more extensive sarcoma research studies, and support one of the largest sarcoma tissue banks in the Midwest.
“The sarcoma tissue repository which serves as a very useful resource for all sarcoma researchers is also funded through the philanthropy funds raised through the Courage Ride,” said Dr. Varun Monga, co-leader of the Sarcoma Research Program at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. “This tissue and the associated clinical data is not only being used by researchers here but also contributes towards a national molecular data bank called the ORIEN which is a network comprising of multiple academic institutions intending to study sarcomas.”
Sarcoma is a rare cancer comprising less than 1% of all adult cancers and 21% of childhood cancers. There are over 150 subtypes of sarcoma that are categorized as either soft tissue or bone.
The 2022 Courage Ride will be held Aug. 13. To learn more, visit CourageRide.org.
