17th annual Courage Ride raises $65,000 for sarcoma research

IOWA CITY — Courage Ride, a bicycle ride that raises funds for sarcoma cancer research, presented a check for $65,000 to the University of Iowa’s Sarcoma Research Program during an Oct. 21 ceremony at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Ben Miller, Co-Leader of the Sarcoma MOG, Associate Professor Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, and Dr. George Wiener, Director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, accepted the check on behalf of the center’s Sarcoma Cancer Research Program.

Over the past 17 years, Courage Ride has raised more than $725,000 for sarcoma cancer research, having a major impact on cancer patients and families who benefit from the research.

Courage Ride is an annual event that was founded in 2005 by Jackie and Tom Bailey of Riverside, Iowa, to honor the courage of their son Seth, who passed away at age 25 after battling sarcoma for eight years.

All proceeds from Courage Ride go to the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Sarcoma Research Program at the University of Iowa. Courage Ride donations make up 85 percent of all sarcoma seed grant funding at the university. Since 2005, those dollars have seeded numerous sarcoma research grants, several that have developed into larger, more extensive sarcoma research studies, and support one of the largest sarcoma tissue banks in the Midwest.

“The sarcoma tissue repository which serves as a very useful resource for all sarcoma researchers is also funded through the philanthropy funds raised through the Courage Ride,” said Dr. Varun Monga, co-leader of the Sarcoma Research Program at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. “This tissue and the associated clinical data is not only being used by researchers here but also contributes toward a national molecular databank called the ORIEN which is a network comprising of multiple academic institutions intending to study sarcomas.”

This year’s Courage Ride was held Aug. 14 and returned to an in-person event, in addition to also offering a virtual ride option. It also included new routes from Washington, Iowa, along with multiple routes that started and finished at Big Grove Brewery and Taproom in Iowa City. More than 500 riders participated in the event, which also included a silent auction fundraiser.

Sarcoma is a rare cancer comprising less than 1 percent of all adult cancers and 21 percent of childhood cancers. There are more than 150 subtypes of sarcoma that are categorized as either soft tissue or bone. More research is needed to find better treatment options and eventually a cure.

The significance of Courage Ride is underscored by the fact that funding for cancer research has been shrinking over the past 10 years, according to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). And yet cancer remains one of the nation’s costliest diseases. Sarcoma receives 1 to 2 percent of all cancer research funding.

“Over the years the Courage Ride has provided the necessary funds to help support the research to advance the understanding of biology and treatments of sarcomas,” said Dr. Miller. “Clinical trials are the backbone of advancing sarcoma treatments and require significant amount of resources which could not have been possible without Courage Ride funds.”

The 2022 Courage Ride will be held on Saturday, Aug. 13.

Visit www.CourageRide.org for information or to make a donation.