UPDATE: DCI V-Riders Cycle Toward a Cure, Raising $7K

Tom Vibert riding his bike

UPDATE (MAY 29, 2022): DCI Cyclists Raised $7,215 in the 2022 Victory Ride to Cure Cancer, placing 10th in dollars raised. Duke U alumnus Alan Ma was the top fundraiser on the Team DCI roster — raising $2,865 in honor of his sister. All rider-raised funds support research by DCI, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Wake Forest Baptist Health Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as breakthrough cancer research nationwide.

The V Foundation recently announced it has awarded a $225,000 cancer research grant — funds raised in the 2021 Victory Ride — to SAICEP, a partnership between DCI/UNC/Wake Forest focused on understanding cancer health disparities among American Indians in North Carolina.


April 10, 2022

The V Foundation Victory Ride to Cure Cancer is back this spring as an in-person cycling event (on greenways, roads, and on-site spin classes) and celebration, to be held on May 21, 2022. Riders charting their own course may participate in the MyVictory Month virtual experience from April 21 to May 21.

One in two men and one in three women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Since awarding its first grant in 1994, the V Foundation has funded more than $260 million in cancer research grants nationwide with one goal: "to accelerate Victory Over Cancer® and save lives by funding game-changing research and all-star scientists." One hundred percent of rider-raised funds will support cancer research at Duke Cancer Institute, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Wake Forest Baptist Health Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as breakthrough cancer research nationwide.

Team DCI, captained by Michael Kastan, MD, PhD (executive director, DCI, and member, V Foundation Board of Directors), has already raised $3,325 and, as of April 10, is number 6 on the Teams Leaderboard.

Let's make Team DCI number 1!

Join Team DCI and cycle your way toward saving lives! (Find additional details about the event towards the bottom of this page)


"Team DCI" V-Ride Roster Spotlight

Alan Ma, Duke University alumnus and member of Team DCI is already gearing up for the V-Ride. In January, he was interviewed by CBS-17 TV and in that same month was also interviewed by the V Foundation's Mick McDonald (below) about why he rides in the annual event. As of April 10, he had already raised $1,745 of his $2,500 goal and was the top fundraiser for Team DCI.

Why We Ride: Alan Ma

by Mick McDonald

Like far too many people, Alan Ma has seen what cancer can do. He’s had friends and family members take on the disease, with a few passing away. But it got very personal for Ma when his older sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 32 years old. The news of a closer family member being diagnosed with cancer is life-changing regardless, but it was especially difficult for Ma, as he was attending graduate school at Duke University while the rest of his family was across the country on the west coast.

I tried to fly back as many times as I could,” said Ma. “But my primary role was to provide mental support. Watching my older sister, who I’ve always looked up to, fight through chemotherapy was both painful and inspiring.

Ma had ridden in charity events before, but this year he knew he wanted to support his big sister. A late appeal for more donations pushed his fundraising into the Victory Ride’s upper tier, but with those donations came a promise: Anyone who gave would be able to dedicate the ride to someone they knew who had been affected by cancer. Ma would ride a longer distance in the ride and wear a flag on his back bearing all those names.

It was great that it gave me the opportunity to catch up with some long-lost friends who were able to update me on life events and lost family members,” said Ma.

The downside? The longer distance was, as Ma readily admits, not something he had trained for sufficiently. Unfortunately, on ride day, he suffered a cramp at mile 18. He didn’t stop fighting for his sister and all the names on his back.

“I cried for hours thinking about my sister and did what I could to try to make it to the finish line. Luckily, there was an army of volunteers there to support me through the process, and it really made me appreciate that it takes an army to beat cancer,” said Ma. “Yes, I should have prepared better for the event, but I also felt like it was fitting, since no cancer patient can truly prepare for all they have to go through.


DISCOVER: A Selection of V Foundation-Funded Research at DCI

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A new ad by the V Foundation for Cancer Research was unveiled in December, which features three of our DCI stars who have received V Foundation support over the years, including, Corinne Linardic, MD, Kris Wood, PhD, and Angeles Secord, MD, MHSc."It is great to see our outstanding faculty receive such deserving visibility!" said executive director of DCI Michael Kastan, MD, PhD. WATCH!
 

Big Ideas: Featuring Ben Vincent, MD, and Carey Anders, MD
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) makes up only about 10-15% of all breast cancers, but it is an aggressive form that often spreads, making it harder to treat. TNBC is especially pernicious when it spreads to the brain, where survival is usually less than six months. Treatments may fail to reach these metastases, because the barrier that prevents toxins from reaching the brain may also block cancer therapies, including the immunotherapies that have revolutionized treatment for so many other types of cancer. Ben Vincent, MD (UNC Lineberger) and his collaborator, Carey Anders, MD (Duke Cancer Institute), are working to help the immune system sneak through the brain’s defenses to attack the cancer cells hiding there. Their work, funded in part by the 2018 V Foundation Wine Celebration in honor of Robin Lail, is taking a two-pronged approach. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, Oct. 1, 2021)

Under the Microscope: What can tumors teach us?
Although great strides have been made in treating cancer, there are still some types of cancer that don’t respond well to treatment. When studying these hard-to-treat cancers, researchers tend to focus on a single mutated gene or one signaling pathway. However, tumors, especially those that affect children, can be more complex than this.

“We often think of the communication signals between cells and within cells as linear, and that’s how it is explained in in textbooks,” said Corinne Linardic, MD, PhD, of Duke Cancer Institute. “However, it doesn’t really work that way. There is a constant conversation taking place between different pathways in different cells. Because of this, we need to be very open-minded when studying cancer.”

With V Foundation funding, Linardic is working to tease apart some of cancer’s complexities by studying the interactions of two cancer-causing proteins involved in the childhood cancer rhabdomyosarcoma, the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. A better understanding of the cellular “conversations” involved in this connective tissue cancer could lead to more effective treatment approaches. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, September 13th, 2021)

Endometrial Cancer Molecularly Targeted Therapy Consortium
Endometrial cancer deaths have been increasing each year since 2006. We need better and more treatments for this disease. There are tests to identify abnormal genes and proteins in the cancer cells, but more research is needed to see if these abnormal genes and proteins can be used to make treatment decisions. A team led by Angeles Secord, MD, MSc, and funded by Kay Yow Cancer Fund, will look more closely at these abnormal genes and proteins in cancer cells and determine if this new way to make treatment decisions and find better treatments will help women live longer. They also plan to find new drugs to treat this disease and will bring together a group of medical centers, experts who treat women with this disease, patients, and patient advocates to help guide their study. (V Foundation website, 2019)
UPDATE: "
DCI-Led Endometrial Cancer Consortium Hosts Symposium (2.19.21)" (DCI Blog, February 2, 2021) and Endometrial Cancer Symposium & B-Ball Game (2.16.20) (DCI Blog, January 17, 2020)

Under the Microscope: Solving the mysteries of an aggressive childhood cancer
Michael Deel, MD, of Duke Cancer Institute has dedicated his career to studying this fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma (a form of sarcoma that normally begins in muscles that are attached to bones and help the body move), with the goal of giving patients a better shot at a long and healthy life. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, July 20, 2020)

The Future of Cancer Research Starts Here
Through the V Scholar grant program, the V Foundation for Cancer Research supports young, tenure-track faculty early in their cancer research careers. Yarui Diao, PhD, was interviewed about grant funding to bring new technology to the field of rhabdomyosarcoma. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, May 12, 2020)


Advancing Cancer Care in the Rural Southeast: Enhancing Precision Medicine and Institutional Collaboration in Community Cancer Centers
Special tests can find genes that start or promote cancer growth. New drugs can target cancer causing genes and kill cancer cells. A Duke project team led by Linda Sutton, MD, and funded by the 2020 Victory Ride to Cure Cancer wants to increase awareness and use of both the special tests and the new drugs. The project will bring a group of experts together to talk about patient cases and help find the best medicine for patients. If medicines are not available, the project team can find clinical trial options for patients. The team will also provide training to doctors and nurses on new tests for cancer genes and medicines. "We will create information to help patients learn about the special gene tests and how the results can help the doctors choose the right medicine to treat their cancer. When the project is finished, the team hopes to provide the information and tools created to other local doctor’s offices and patients," said Sutton. (V Foundation website, 2020)

Diversity Training Pilot For Research Teams Launched
With the support of a $71,000 grant from the V Foundation, medical sociologist and assistant professor Nadine Barrett, PHD, refines a curriculum that focuses on building knowledge, awareness, skills and implementation strategies to address a lack of or limited engagement with racially and ethnically diverse populations who could be potential research participants and collaborators in research. The name of the pilot study/program is “Just Ask: Diversity in Clinical Research Training Program. Continue Reading (DCI Blog, February 18, 2019)

The V Foundation Announces Canine Comparative Oncology Grant Program
From 2015 to 2018, the V Foundation awarded more than $700,000 for canine comparative oncology through a collaboration between NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and Duke Cancer Institute. Executive director of DCI, Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD, and William Eward, DVM, MD, interviewed. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, Oct. 25, 2018)

Under the Microscope: Enlisting the Body’s Own Defenses in the War on Cancer 
With funding from the V Foundation, David Ashley, MD, director of The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at DCI, and his colleagues plan to change the prognosis for children with diffuse pontine gliomas. Ashley applies immunotherapy, along with growing knowledge about the genetic causes of brain tumors, to develop treatments that could mean longer lives for these children, most of whom die within a year of diagnosis. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, Sept. 13, 2018)

The V Foundation Announces Designated Grants Awarded for Translational Research in Lung Cancer The V Foundation for Cancer Research, through the Richard Jones Fund and the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, and in collaboration with the Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina, announced the awarding of two lung cancer grants each $200,000, including one to Qingyi Wei, MD, PhD. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, Sept. 19, 2017)

Big Ideas: Featuring Kris Wood, PhD
Kris Wood, PhD, a 2013 V Scholar , came to cancer research with a degree in chemical engineering. He’s a nuts and bolts guy, looking at how cancer cells work, how they become resistant and how that resistance can be overcome. Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, June 6, 2017)

Big Ideas: Featuring Jeffrey Clarke, MD, & Jennifer Freedman, PhD
Jeffrey Clarke, MD, and Jennifer Freedman, PhD, are part of a research team focused on lung cancer. The grant, supported by the Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina and the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, has these scientists examining an especially important question – why are some cancers particularly aggressive in certain racial groups? And what can we do about it?
Continue Reading (V Foundation blog, Feb. 28, 2017)


Event Details

Chart Your Own Course: MyVictoryMonth Virtual Ride (April 21 to May 21)

V Ride competition graphic 2022V Ride competition graphic 2022

  1. Join Team DCI and cycle your way toward saving lives!
     
  2. Join the Strava club to track your miles with other Victory Ride participants.
     
  3. Who are you riding for? Click here to download and print your rider bibs. 
     
  4. Click here for your fundraising checklist. 100% of every dollar you raise goes to cancer research.
     
  5. In addition to the fundraising rewards, participants will have the opportunity each week and overall to vie for cycling and non-cycling competitions. (see above images)
     
  6. Share your experience.
    • Engage on social media with @DukeCancer and @TheVictoryRide and share images and videos of your rides using #MyVictory. 
    • Tell your#MyVictory story by sharing who you ride for or how you have been touched by cancer. 
    • Show your “Don’t Ever Give Up!” spirit. Let us cheer for you when you hit a personal best or reach your fundraising milestone
    • Add the Victory Ride picture frame to your profile on Facebook. (Simply click on the camera icon on your profile picture to update.)
    • Share your participation using your Victory Ride Social Media Toolkit .

In-Person Ride (May 21)

The in-person ride starts and finishes at NC State University’s Centennial Campus. Join fellow riders for 10- and 30-mile routes on greenways, or 60- and 100-mile on roads. There will  also be on-site spin classes for those who prefer a stationary bike.

The May 21 post-ride celebration features local food trucks, craft beer and live music. There will also be a specially designed obstacle course just for kids.

Let's Get Started!

  1. Join Team DCI and cycle your way toward saving lives! (Even if you're not cycling or spinning, you can still support the team and the cause)
  2. Click here for your fundraising checklist.100% of every dollar you raise goes to cancer research.
  3. Note:The fundraising minimum for the May 21 event is $250 and the minimum age for any ride distance is 15
  4. Download the route maps
  5. Share your experience.
    • Engage on social media with @DukeCancer and @TheVictoryRide and share images and videos of your ride using #MyVictory
    • Tell your#MyVictory story by sharing who you ride for or how you have been touched by cancer. 
    • Show your “Don’t Ever Give Up!” spirit. Let us cheer for you when you hit a personal best or reach your fundraising milestone
    • Add the Victory Ride picture frame to your profile on Facebook. (Simply click on the camera icon on your profile picture to update.)

Learn More About the 2022 Victory Ride to Cure Cancer

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(the vendor will donate 15% of the purchase price of items sold to the V Foundation)