Padres Pedal the Cause gives over $2 million to cancer research

On Feb. 16, Padres Pedal the Cause presented a check for $2,031,989 to researchers 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.

Padres Pedal the Cause Executive Director Anne Marbarger presented the check during a gathering of more than 100 beneficiary representatives, San Diego business leaders, as well as top donors and fundraisers. The award represents the total amount raised by the organization’s 2016 cycling event this past November.

“This is the most important night of the year for Padres Pedal the Cause: the night we present San Diego’s four world-class cancer institutions with the financial contribution representing the sum of our annual community-wide efforts,” Marbarger said. “We are proud to present over $2 million, which we believe is just the start of many years of growth and scientific discovery that will define our community. With this momentum built in 2016, we approach 2017 with great optimism about what the San Diego community will do to rally behind curing cancer.”

The Padres Pedal the Cause event was founded in 2013 by Rancho Santa Fe resident Bill Koman and has grown year over year. Last year, ridership grew by 82 percent and total fundraising grew 54 percent--about 1,500 riders participated in the 2016 cycling event.

Most importantly, 2016 marked the achievement of the 100 percent model, which means that all money raised by the riders through fundraising was donated to cancer research. All expenses were underwritten through the generous support of corporate sponsors, including the Koman Family Foundation, BD, Sempra Energy, Wells Fargo and Qualcomm among many others.

The fifth annual Padres Pedal the Cause event takes place this year on Nov. 11-12 at Petco Park and will feature courses of various distances for all skill levels, a stationary bike zone, virtual riding and a children’s ride, as well as numerous volunteer opportunities for all those who want to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Registration for the 2017 event will open in early April. New for this year, Padres Pedal will be only the second cycling event to ride over the Coronado Bay Bridge. For more information and to be notified when registration opens, visit gopedal.org.

In photo above at the check presentation: Anne Marbarger, executive director of Padres Pedal the Cause; Garth Powis DPhil, director of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute Cancer Center; Reuben Shaw, director of the Salk Cancer Center; Stephen Jennings, senior vice president and executive director ot Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation; Christopher Kane MD of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health; and Bill Koman founder of Padres Pedal the Cause.