This event is all about funding lifesaving cancer research. The inaugural year of LOWVELO in 2019 attracted more than 600 riders and 300 volunteers. Riders brought in almost $700,000, and that funding already has been put to good use. Read about Timmy Samec (pictured right), who is a cancer survivor and one of the first researchers to receive funding from LOWVELO.
We’re going virtual this year because of COVID-19, and the event is open to all ages and will include cyclists, runners and walkers. Our goal is to record 31,710 miles in support of the 31,710 estimated new cancer cases in South Carolina in 2020.
It’s not just the fundraising that excites us, though. It’s how this event opens up all kinds of opportunities to bond with the community to fight this disease. Many of our participants are survivors or are riding to honor family members who are battling cancer. We get to meet them and hear their inspiring stories. We also get to meet the researchers working diligently behind the scenes to find that next breakthrough to bring to the clinic.
All participant-raised funds go to MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. It is the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center and the largest academic-based cancer research program in South Carolina. With more than 100 cancer scientists across 20 different academic departments, Hollings’ mission is to eradicate cancer. Read highlights about the cancer center research and clinical trial success stories on the Hollings news site.
Surgery and chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer could not keep Mary Nell Goolsby from riding in the inaugural LOWVELO. Read about how she focused on the positives of her diagnosis.
Inspired by her mother, Heather took up cycling as a way of life. Learn how cancer and cycling brought this family closer together in this inspiring story.
Nick Charalambous says that his MUSC Hollings Cancer Center oncologist Robert Stuart, M.D., brought him “back from the dead.” Read how this relationship proved to be special.
José and Wendy Peréy are the friendly faces of Hollings Cancer Center, filling hungry stomachs and administering a daily dose of joy. Learn how a chronic lymphocytic leukemia diagnosis led to the Hollings Café owners supporting the cancer center in a big way.
This experience helped connect Hollings with people in the communities that we serve. It also helped to increase our visibility and recognition among those in the greater Charleston area. Volunteers really helped to make the event special. I can also say that their interactions with other volunteers, particularly those in the medical profession, helped to increase awareness of health issues such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. These interactions will prove invaluable in the future to improve the health of our community.
