‘Cycle for Survival’ bikes for rare cancer research

More than 2,000 cyclists from Maryland and D.C. participated over the last two weekends in the annual fundraiser Cycle for Survival, which has raised nearly $32 million nationally for rare cancer research and treatment for patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

In its 12-year history, the indoor cycling event has raised more than $170 million for the private hospital, which conducts research and clinical trials for cancers of the brain, pancreas, ovaries, stomach and other organs.

The first Cycle for Survival was a community event started by Jennifer Goodman Linn, who was undergoing treatment for a rare form of sarcoma, a cancer described as tumor growth in bones and soft tissue.

Her friends, family and supporters committed to riding an hour in a cycling class in a local gym. As the number of participants increased, one hour became four, with people riding in shifts.

The idea grew, and the initiative was taken over by Memorial Sloan Kettering as its official owner and Equinox gym as the official host. In 2015, New Balance partnered to provide apparel, with 10 percent of the sales from sneakers bearing the Cycle for Survival logo going to rare cancer research.

In 2012, Memorial Sloan Kettering dedicated the Jennifer Goodman Linn Laboratory of New Drug Development in Sarcoma and Rare Cancers.

Teams of fundraisers commit to raising at least $1,000 per stationary bike, which culminates in a group cycling session at Equinox gym locations across the country. Rides last about four hours with team members pedaling in a relay, switching off each hour.

The events are festive and inclusive, with riders encouraged to go at their own speed but revel in the energy of the room.

Since January, Cycle for Survival fundraisers have taken place in Seattle, Boston, Chicago and Dallas and in cities across California, Florida, New Jersey and New York, among others.

Each event features “Jen’s Bike” — a tribute to Linn, who died from her cancer on July 20, 2011 — and features a rider who is either a cancer survivor, someone battling the disease, a friend, family member or caregiver.

Last week in the District, Tara Verch was chosen to be on the memorial bike. As part of Team Pedaling Sunshine, Ms. Verch helped contribute more than $7,500 of a total of $34,213 raised by the D.C.-based team.

Nationally, Team Pedaling Sunshine has raised more than $260,000 in 2018.

Before the event, Ms. Verch stood up and told her story of how cancer had decimated her family before finally coming for her.

“We have 10 people in my family that have been diagnosed with cancer and six of them have been rare cancers and they’re all six different rare cancers,” she said in an interview with The Washington Times.

Ms. Verch, who lives outside Baltimore but grew up in Potomac, was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer five years ago.

This gastrointestinal tumor is considered a rare cancer, diagnosed in about 8,000 people each year, according to the American Cancer Society. For comparison, common cancers have diagnosis rates that range from around 60,000 to over 250,000 new cases per year.

“The main reason I got up to speak was to give hope and to tell people how amazing this is,” she said.

Ms. Verch was 37 at the time of her diagnosis, and the youngest of her four children was 16 months old. At the cycling event, she told the hundreds of riders, “When I got my cancer diagnosis, I was ready.”

Earlier that year and within a month of each other, her sister and cousin were both diagnosed with rare cancers.

In addition to that, all of them carried with them the memory of their cousin, who had battled a rare form of lymphoma at 17 years old and succumbed to the disease within eight months.

“We learned a lot how to gather strength from him,” Ms. Verch said. “We know that we’re in a really hard spot and we know that we’re unique, but we’re not going to sit there and let cancer take everything we have from us. It’s not going to ever, ever, ever steal my smile.”