Fred Hutch Obliteride, one of the largest community fundraising events in the Pacific Northwest, announced changes for 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Obliteride weekend has been reimagined and will not include group gatherings in 2020. Participants will choose when and where to complete their individual events, enabling people all over the world to safely support lifesaving research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“Keeping people safe is our top priority,” said Jim Birrell, Obliteride’s director. “That said, our participants really look forward to an unforgettable Obliteride weekend, so we’re planning some great surprises and virtual events to help create the connection we’re all craving right now. We’re excited because this is a movement people can join, no matter where they live, and we’ve dropped our fundraising minimums, so everyone can feel comfortable participating.”
Obliteride’s overhead costs are covered by philanthropic partners, therefore every dollar raised fuels leading-edge cancer research and real-time studies to halt the COVID-19 pandemic and develop critical tests, treatments, and vaccines.
“Fred Hutch researchers need our support now more than ever,” said Kelly O’Brien, vice president of Philanthropy at Fred Hutch. “Every donation propels us closer to finding cures. Our participants ride, walk and run for loved ones with cancer. This year they will also help in the fight against the coronavirus, as half of the funds will support urgent scientific studies on COVID-19. We’re grateful for our Obliteride participants, and all of our generous donors, who will help us save lives.”
I’ve participated in Obliteride a couple times in the past with High Performance Cycling team mates. This year, with the coronavirus pandemic in full force, I’m teaming up with an old friend on a creative approach to the event.
The premise of our team, Team Artifact, is that we are visitors from the future. With our knowledge of science and history, we recognized that 2020 was the year that made the difference in humanity’s fight against cancer, as well as a turning point in eliminating entrenched systems that have adversely affected humanity for centuries.
As team leader James Larsen has put it:
“I’m here because, in my time, Cancer has been beaten. My history tells me some of the most important solutions to beat Cancer started here, with funding from these rides going toward work at Fred Hutch to focus on high-impact science to eliminate cancer and related diseases through prevention and cures accessible to all. My history tells me this year was THE crucial year in so many ways. Not only were the efforts to cure Cancer at Fred Hutch and around the world catalyzed, but much of the negative energy that had permeated the world for so long also began to shift toward the positive. With all that positive energy, people realized we are all in this together—from battling Cancer to solving all kinds of other issues holding humankind back. I will only focus on Cancer here, as curing Cancer is what has allowed me to return to this year, at this time, to ride Obliteride during this arc of time tipping point. A tipping point that my history calls The Great Change.”
Find out more about our mission from the future, and support Team Artifact.
Since 2013, Obliteride has raised nearly $30 million, from more than 60,000 supporters. Obliteride funds have supported research on cancer prevention; global health; immunotherapy; brain, breast, lung, ovarian and prostate cancers; and new methods for tracking the coronavirus.
Obliteride 2020 will culminate in a Glow Orange celebration the week of August 8.
Learn more and register at Obliteride.org.
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