News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 18, 2006
CONTACT: Bob Mazzone, Connecticut Challenge: (203) 353-7690
Renee Gaudette, Yale Cancer Center: (203) 785-2143
Connecticut Challenge Charity Bike Ride Seeks Riders from Across the State
Registration is now open for the 2006 Connecticut Challenge and organizers are encouraging people from across the state to ride. The Connecticut Challenge is a charity bike ride that is raising money to create a cancer survivorship clinic at Yale Cancer Center.
“Our goal is to have riders representing every community in Connecticut,” said event co-founder, Jeff Keith. “This survivorship clinic will be the only facility of its kind in Connecticut and will serve our 100,000 residents who are cancer survivors. We want to spread awareness of this clinic to every corner of the state and hope that people from across the state will ride with us to support its creation. Fifty-one Connecticut residents are diagnosed with cancer every day and we need to help them with their challenge. As survivors, they will have unique health needs that can be addressed at this clinic,” said Keith.
Organizers of the Connecticut Challenge presented a check for $300,000 from the inaugural event in 2005 to Dr. Richard L. Edelson, Director of Yale Cancer Center. “The enthusiasm of the riders, volunteers, and supporters of the first CT Challenge ride was an inspiration. Their unyielding commitment to support cancer survivors in the state of Connecticut will result in specialized care for this increasing population. We are delighted that they have chosen to contribute to the high-quality care provided at Yale Cancer Center through the creation of a survivorship clinic and continuing support of survivorship programs,” said Edelson.
Proceeds from the Connecticut Challenge will directly support the establishment of the Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic at Yale Cancer Center, Connecticut’s first such resource. This clinic is scheduled to open in fall, 2006 and will place Connecticut among a very few states with a comprehensive facility dedicated solely to meeting the growing needs of cancer survivors.
New Bike Rental Program
Connecticut Challenge organizers are pleased to announce a program for people who want to participate in the ride, but don’t have confidence in their bike. Riders simply provide organizers with their height and then show up for the ride where a state of the art, easy to ride Cannondale hybrid bike will be waiting for them at check-in. When they complete their ride, they just drop the bike off at the finish line.
About the Connecticut Challenge
The Connecticut Challenge is a non-competitive bike ride to raise money for the Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic at Yale Cancer Center. Riders can register for a 25, 50 or 100-mile ride and raise funds from personal sponsors to support their efforts. The 2006 Connecticut Challenge will take place on August 27th. People interested in riding, volunteering or contributing to the 2006 event are encouraged to visit http://www.ctchallenge.org.
About Yale Cancer Center
Established in 1974, Yale Cancer Center was one of the first university-based comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. Today, it is one of a select network of only 39 in the United States, and the only one in southern New England.
In collaboration with Yale School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital, preparations for a new, 14 story, $430 million cancer center have started and twelve nationally renowned clinicians have been recruited to join the Center. The new clinical cancer center has direct implications for our patients with increased access to multidisciplinary care while allowing our scientists to translate basic research into the clinical setting. Completion of the new major clinical facility, scheduled for 2010, will enable Yale Cancer Center to seamlessly integrate interdisciplinary outpatient and inpatient units with advanced clinical trials, stem cell transplantation, radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging, molecular diagnostic and laboratory medicine facilities.