Padres team up with Pedal the Cause in the fight against cancer

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced the club is teaming up with Pedal the Cause to support fundraising efforts that benefit cancer research centers in San Diego. 

For the second straight year, members of the Padres front office will ride in PEDAL15 (September 18-20). Members of the public who would like to ride with the Padres are encouraged to register at www.gopedal.org using the code GOPADRES. Those who would like to form their own team can also do so at www.gopedal.org. 

"The Padres are proud to support PEDAL's efforts to fund collaborative, groundbreaking cancer research at the world-class centers right here in San Diego," said Padres President and CEO Mike Dee. "Bill Koman and the entire PEDAL team have one mission in mind: to fund research and ultimately find a cure for cancer. We are committed to making a difference together, and we encourage San Diegans to join us - on Team Padres or on their own team."

In conjunction with today's announcement, representatives from Pedal the Cause and the Padres will participate in a special pregame ceremony at Petco Park on Saturday. They will be joined by a group of 40 cancer survivors and previous PEDAL cyclists who will ride onto the field for the ceremony. In addition, there will be a PEDAL activation at Park at the Park to raise awareness about the cause. Cyclists on spin bikes near the Tony Gwynn Statue will pedal continuously from the time gates open to the seventh inning. Fans will have the opportunity to register for PEDAL15 at multiple locations around the ballpark. 

"It's great to see our hometown team join PEDAL in the fight against cancer," said PEDAL founder and two-time cancer survivor Bill Koman. "We are excited to work together with the Padres to advance cancer research and care right here in San Diego. We think this is a home run for our community."  

Pedal the Cause, a non-profit fundraising organization known for its annual, two-day cycling event, raises critically needed funding for renowned cancer research centers in San Diego. Since its inaugural San Diego event in 2013, Pedal the Cause has donated more than $1.4M to San Diego's National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Centers Council, or C3, including UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The ultimate mission of the C3 is to leverage the combined resources and talents of these institutions to accelerate innovative approaches for the treatment and prevention of cancer. Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego has now also been added to PEDAL's impressive list of beneficiaries, working in tandem with the C3 to provide the best in cancer care and treatment to San Diego's youth.

"Joining forces with the San Diego Padres has been a tremendous boost for spreading the word on the outstanding groups of doctors and scientists we have in San Diego," said Pedal the Cause CEO Jim Woodman. "We're thrilled that the Padres share our vision for creating a world without cancer by bringing San Diegans together to ensure our world-class research centers get the funding they need to keep pushing scientific boundaries."

Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego has recently joined San Diego's C3 research centers as the fourth member and designated beneficiary of Pedal the Cause 2015 funding. As part of this partnership, PEDAL has launched its Ride for a Child program, which enables participating cycling teams to train, fundraise and ride in honor of a child who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Rady Children's Hospital CEO Donald Kearns welcomed the collaboration with Pedal the Cause stating that "Ride for a Child will prove to be a truly memorable and meaningful experience for participants. The connection built between teams, the children and their families through event activities will have an impact lasting long after the event."

Located in San Diego, Rady Children's Hospital is a non-profit facility dedicated solely to pediatric healthcare, with the distinction of being the region's only pediatric trauma center and the largest children's hospital in California based on patients seen, and the sixth largest in the country. The San Diego Padres have a strong existing relationship with Rady, dating back nearly 30 years. Since 1987, the Padres have supported the hospital through player visits, ticket donations and support of patient programs, as well as participation in the annual Celebration of Champions event. The Padres Foundation has donated more than $1M in support of cancer care and research grants, with one of the primary beneficiaries being Rady Children's Hospital.

About Pedal the Cause

Founded in 2013, Pedal the Cause San Diego is a non-profit, 501c3 cycling challenge dedicated to raising money to accelerate collaborative research synergies at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. A unique two-day cycling event, Pedal the Cause offers riders and supporters an opportunity to increase awareness and support for the incredible work being done to fight cancer in San Diego. One hundred perecent of net proceeds raised by participants and donors go directly to support collaborations between PEDAL's world-class beneficiaries. Collaborations between these four complementary cancer centers create greater opportunities to fast-track research from the bench top to the bedside. For patients who can't wait, this means faster access to life-saving treatment and cures. It is our hope that research funded by Pedal the Cause will ultimately lead in a collaborative way to a cure for cancer, and propel San Diego to the forefront of cancer cures and care.

PEDAL15 will take place September 18-20, featuring courses suited for any riding ability, from 10 miles, up to a two-day ride between San Diego and Temecula. For information about courses, free training, volunteer opportunities, registering, or donating, please visit www.gopedal.org. Stay connected with the PEDAL community on Twitter, @pedalSD, and follow PEDAL on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PedalTheCauseSanDiego.