Blog
Canary Challenge Benefit Cycling Event Experiences Major Growth Spurt
September 13, 2013
For Immediate Release
Contact: Erica Glessing
Erica@CanaryFoundation.org
September 28, 2013 Event Draws Vanderkitten Pro Cyclists
Palo Alto, CA – The California cycling event Canary Challenge on Sept. 28 2013 in Palo Alto is experiencing a major growth spurt in registration over 2012 with registration up more than 60 percent. The event, produced by the Canary Foundation, benefits Stanford Cancer Institute and the Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection. “We are thrilled with the surge in registration and sponsorships in 2013,” says Don Listwin, Canary Foundation chairman and founder of the Canary Challenge. “We built an outstanding series of routes that will challenge or entertain every level of cyclist, from the new 5K Canary Cruiser to the Century.”
More than 815 cyclists have registered to participate, an exciting 61 percent increase over 2012 registration. Many of the cyclists participate with a personal reason for riding. For instance, Carolyn Helmke of Mountain View, an accomplished individual fundraiser, is a cancer survivor. “I support the Canary Challenge 100 percent,” says Helmke, who encouraged her friends to give a donation to the Canary Challenge in lieu of birthday gifts this year. She has raised over $4,000 to date, just one of the hundreds of participants who are on track to collectively raise $1 million in donations for cancer research this year. Cancer early detection research is a cornerstone of Canary Foundation.
Pros from the Vanderkitten Racing team are among those to support Canary Challenge in a big way, with more than six of the professional women cyclists on board to fundraise and ride on September 28. “Funds raised by the Canary Challenge go directly to early cancer detection research, and this makes the event a perfect fit for Vanderkitten Racing,” says Dave Verrecchia,Vanderkitten team owner.
“We are seeing a rapid increase in the number of teams participating in the 2013 Canary Challenge,” said Listwin. Listwin founded Canary Foundation in 2004 to fund early detection of cancer. Canary Foundation is the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to cancer early detection. The foundation has five focus areas: early detection research for ovarian, prostate, breast, pancreatic and lung cancer.
Sponsors this year include KLA Tencor, Avaya, Graystone, Hewlett-Packard, Icon Venture Partners, Juniper Networks, the Matthews Group at Morgan Stanley, Mike’s Bikes, Pacific Eye Specialists, the Palo Alto Weekly, SAP, the Village Doctor, and VMware.
About the Canary Challenge
The Canary Challenge raises funds for Stanford Cancer Institute and Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection. Register now for the preeminent California 2013 Canary Challenge, a benefit cycling event, on September 28, 2013.
About Canary Foundation
Canary Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the goal of identifying cancer early through a simple blood test, and then isolating it with imaging. Canary Foundation is based in Palo Alto, California and was founded by Don Listwin in 2004. The program areas of the foundation are early detection for ovarian, prostate, breast, lung and pancreatic cancer.
