“Punta Gorda Ride for a Cure” Leukemia Fundraiser at a Glance
The first annual “Punta Gorda Ride for a Cure” Motorcycle/Scooter Rally will be held at Muscle Car City, Punta Gorda, Florida on Sunday March 3, 2013. The proceeds from this event and a month long series of other recreational events benefit the important task of raising money to fight leukemia, lymphoma and other blood related cancers. The inaugural “Punta Gorda Ride for a Cure” will be hosted by riders and volunteers from the Isles Yacht Club (IYC) and the Patriot Riders of America Chapter One of Port Charlotte Florida. To benefit our community we reach out to our community, business and individuals alike, for cash and in kind support. Please consider joining our fight against blood cancers by selecting one of the sponsorship levels on the proceeding pages.
About the LLS – The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. Founded in 1949, they are relentless in the pursuit of their mission: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Headquarters are in White Plains, NY and supported by 60 local chapters. Charlotte County and the “Ride for a Cure” is supported by the SunCoast Chapter of the LLS in Tampa, Fl.
An estimated 912,938 Americans have leukemia, Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma. Every four minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer. Leukemia is the leading cause of disease-related death among children and young adults under age 20. Lymphomas are the most common blood cancers, and incidence increases with age. The survival rate for myeloma is only 30 percent. Incidence is twice as high among African Americans as for all other races. Although progress has been made, there is still a great deal to accomplish.
LLS has invested more than $600 million in research. Programs include the Specialized Center of Research (SCOR), which brings together teams of scientists from different disciplines, and the Translational Research Program, which funds research with a high probability of producing innovative patient treatments in an accelerated timeframe. Society-funded research has directly contributed to many breakthrough cancer treatments. Advances such as chemotherapy, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation and new, targeted oral therapies such as Gleevec™ might never have happened were it not for the research funded by the Society.
The Information Resource Center (IRC) puts patients together with experts through Webcasts and teleconferences and provides professional education through seminars, to extend the latest findings in blood cancer research to a broader professional audience. For blood cancer information and patient support, please call the IRC at 800.955.4572.
Intangible benefits of sponsoring with a charity can greatly improve your company’s bottom line. Independent surveys of consumer opinions have found that:
- 54% would pay more for a product/service sponsoring a cause for which they care
- 68% would switch brands (or businesses) to support a cause for which they care
- 78% are more likely to buy products/services supporting a cause for which they care.
