Padres Pedal the Cause Donates More Than $2.4 Million to Local Cancer Research

Our biggest annual tally to date. 100% of funds raised benefit innovative cancer research in San Diego.

Padres Pedal the Cause presented a check for $2,401,523.00 on Wednesday, January 24, at Farmer & the Seahorse in La Jolla, to representatives from Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego. The funds represent the total amount raised by Padres Pedal teams and participants in the November 2017 cycling event. It’s the largest annual contribution in the five-year history of the organization.

Padres Pedal the Cause Executive Director Anne Marchand presented the check during a celebratory gathering of hundreds of event participants, beneficiary representatives, San Diego business leaders, as well as top donors and fundraisers. Speakers included Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, President & CEO of Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine and David Osias, team captain of the Straight Arrow Cycling Club.

Anne Marchand, Executive Director for Padres Pedal the Cause

Anne Marchand,
Executive Director,
Padres Pedal the Cause

“This represents a big step forward for Padres Pedal the Cause as we presented our largest annual donation, $2,401,523, to our four outstanding beneficiary institutions,” states Marchand. “We believe that collaboration is the key to accelerating treatments and cures for cancer and our fundraising efforts are just taking off. We are proud to donate 100% of what we raise to cancer research and are committed to realizing significant growth in 2018 to continue funding these excellent institutions.”

The funds are granted to innovative cancer research projects and meet rigorous criteria. There is an emphasis on collaborative, translational research that presents a clear route to a clinical trial. Summaries of the 31 projects funded to date by Padres Pedal can be found here on our Impact page.

Established in 2013, with tremendous support and participation from the San Diego community, Padres Pedal the Cause is growing year over year. Last year, there were 1,860 riders – an increase of 24% and total fundraising grew 18%. All expenses are underwritten through the generous support of corporate sponsors and private donors. 2017 sponsors included BD, Sempra Energy, NuVasive, Wells Fargo, Qualcomm, and the Koman Family Foundation, among many others.

The fifth annual Padres Pedal the Cause event took place November 11-12, 2017, at Petco Park and featured courses of various distances for all skill levels, a stationary bike zone, virtual riding, a children’s ride as well as numerous volunteer opportunities for all those who wanted to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Registration for the 2018 event will open later this spring. Continue to check our website for more information.

About Padres Pedal the Cause

Padres Pedal the Cause is a California non-profit public benefit corporation established to fund, plan and manage an annual two-day cycling fundraiser in partnership with the San Diego Padres. The organization’s mission is to end cancer by raising money for innovative life-saving research in San Diego. To date, Padres Pedal has raised over $7 million and funded 31 collaborative research projects at four beneficiaries: 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 goal and true hope is that the research funded by Padres Pedal The Cause will ultimately lead to a cure for cancer. For more information, please visit www.gopedal.org. Padres Pedal can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health

Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health is home to nearly 350 medical and radiation oncologists, cancer surgeons, and researchers. It is one of only 45 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country, a rare honor distinguishing exceptionally high achievement in research, clinical care, education and community outreach and partnerships. For more information, visit cancer.ucsd.edu.

About Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) is an independent nonprofit research organization that blends cutting-edge fundamental research with robust drug discovery to address unmet clinical needs in the areas of cancer, neuroscience, immunity, and metabolic disorders. The Institute invests in talent, technology, and partnerships to accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries that will have the greatest impact on patients. Recognized for its world-class NCI-designated Cancer Center and the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, SBP employs more than 1,000 scientists and staff in San Diego (La Jolla), Calif., and Orlando (Lake Nona), Fla. For more information, visit us at SBPdiscovery.org. The Institute can also be found on Facebook at facebook.com/SBPdiscovery and on Twitter @SBPdiscovery.

About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk’s mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer’s, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin.

About Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego

Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego is a 551-bed pediatric care facility providing the largest source of comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, Southern Riverside and Imperial counties. Rady Children’s is the only hospital in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare and is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. In June 2016, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rady Children’s among the best children’s hospitals in the nation in nine pediatric specialties. Rady Children’s is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations to support its mission. For more information, visit www.rchsd.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter and Vimeo.