New Brunswick, N.J. – Eight years. Thousands of miles. More than a million dollars raised. The end result? The potential to help a countless number of patients who are battling cancer. While the numbers are impressive, having that impact in the fight against cancer is the primary aim of the annual Century for the Cure bicycle ride that benefits the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Cycling enthusiasts, community supporters and volunteers are being called on once again to register for the event, which is scheduled for September 7 at Camp Riverbend in Warren Township.
What started off as a handful of participants gathered by ride founder Scott Glickman in that first year, 2005, has grown into an event that sees more than a hundred riders, dozens of volunteers and numerous “virtual participants” – those who choose not to make the 100-mile, 80-mile or 40-mile treks on two wheels but give their support online. The effort in part supports cutting-edge research at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Most recently, funds raised from the ride helped establish the first-ever Century for the Cure Research Grant. A pair of $50,000 grants was awarded to investigators from the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, to further enhance exploration of blood cancers.
No one knows better than Glickman what support of such research means, as he battled stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma some 15 years ago and was successfully treated at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. “Supporting today’s research could mean significant advances in the treatments of tomorrow,” he said. “It is an amazing feeling to know that Century for the Cure is helping to make a tremendous difference in the fight against cancer. My wife Aileen and I are grateful for everyone’s support.”
The work of Roger Strair, MD, PhD, chief of the Hematologic Malignancies/Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Program at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, who was Glickman’s oncologist, has been supported by funds from the Century for the Cure ride. “Scott and Aileen’s continued dedication to Century for the Cure brings us closer to new discoveries and opportunities to conduct new research that may not have been possible without these funds,” noted Dr. Strair, who is also a professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
This year's event is sponsored by Genentech, Benefit Sources and Solutions Chadler, Overton Custom Brokers, JMK BMW, Stop and Shop, and others. All riders receive a custom rider jersey from Primal Wear and cycling socks.
To register for this year’s Century for the Cure ride, visit www.centuryforthecure.com.
About the Cancer Institute of New Jersey
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (www.cinj.org) is the state’s first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicated to improving the detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer, and serving as an education resource for cancer prevention. Physician-scientists at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, quite literally bringing research to life. To make a tax-deductible gift to support the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, call 732-235-8614 or visit www.cinjfoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theCINJ. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a Center of Excellence of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides the highest quality cancer care and rapid dissemination of important discoveries into the community. Flagship Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. System Partner: Meridian Health (Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, Southern Ocean Medical Center, and Bayshore Community Hospital). Major Clinical Research Affiliate Hospitals: Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Medical Center, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Overlook Medical Center, and Cooper University Hospital. Affiliate Hospitals: CentraState Healthcare System, JFK Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (CINJ Hamilton), Shore Medical Center, Somerset Medical Center, The University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School*, and University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. *Academic Affiliate