VeloSano raised more than $4.7 million in 2019, with 100% of the money raised supporting lifesaving cancer research at Cleveland Clinic. This brings the cumulative total to more than $21 million raised in six years.
Latin for “swift cure,” VeloSano is a year-round, community-driven fundraising initiative. The money raised is a culmination of many efforts, with the flagship fundraising platform being “bike to cure” weekend which occurred July 19-21. wkyc studios is a proud partner of VeloSano and had an employee team of riders, led by 3News anchor Sara Shookman, participate in this year's ride.
Funds were also raised via the VeloSano Kids initiative that supports pediatric cancer research at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. More than $365,000 of the $4.7 million raised this year will benefit VeloSano Kids.
The 2019 total was announced Nov. 13 at the VeloSano Bash: Revealing the Cash celebratory event, presented by The Lerner Foundation, at Windows on the River. The $4.7 million will be allocated to cancer research projects across the Cleveland Clinic enterprise via the VeloSano Pilot and Impact Awards. In its first five years VeloSano has supported 125 cancer research projects, and the $5 million raised in the first two years of VeloSano alone has generated an additional $14 million in external research grants – a 280% return.
During the Bash it was announced that one of the Impact Awards will be named in honor of Marc Harrison, M.D., a former Cleveland Clinic physician, former CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and current president and CEO of Intermountain Healthcare, who recently announced he is receiving treatment for multiple myeloma.
“On behalf of Cleveland Clinic CEO Tomislav Mihaljevic, M.D., and the entire Cleveland Clinic organization, we are pleased to announce the Marc Harrison, M.D. VeloSano Impact Award,” said Brian J. Bolwell, M.D., FACP, chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute. “Dr. Harrison will always be part of the Cleveland Clinic family. As an advocate for VeloSano’s creation, his innovative vision continues to be an inspiration to others.”
Throughout VeloSano weekend, 2,400 riders from 36 states, Canada and Great Britain pedaled nearly 100,000 miles supported by more than 1,000 volunteers. An additional 443 people from 22 states, Canada, Great Britain, India and Mexico participated as virtual riders. In total, “bike to cure” participants received more than 27,000 donations.
VeloSano has gained significant momentum in raising money for cancer research at Cleveland Clinic due to the support of its partners, including but not limited to, the Stewart Kohl Fund, the Cleveland Indians, Adcom, Jones Day, Lexus, Zack Bruell Events, Advance Ohio, Amgen, DiGeronimo Companies, Hileman Group, House of LaRose / Michelob Ultra, KeyBank and The Lerner Foundation.
VeloSano 7 “bike to cure” weekend is scheduled for July 17-19, 2020, and will be chaired by Paul Dolan, Chairman and CEO of the Cleveland Indians, and John Saada, Partner at Jones Day.