FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:           CONTACT:       Julia  Pemberton                       CT  Challenge                       (203)  292-­‐8722                      

CT Challenge Bike Ride Raises Over $1.65 Million for Cancer Survivor Programs Road  Warriors  &  Top  Teams  Honored  at  Center  for  Survivorship  Celebration  

 Fairfield,  CT  –    November  7,  2013.    The  CT  Challenge  honored  its  Road  Warriors  and  Top  20  Teams  for  2013  at  a  reception  at  the  CT  Challenge  Center  for  Survivorship.    Each  Road  Warrior  commits  to  raising  at  least  $3000  to  support  their  CT  Challenge  Bike  Ride  and  most  participate  on  teams,  as  do  85%  of  all  riders.    This  year’s  teams  accounted  for  85%  of  the  record  $1.65mm  that  was  raised.    The  CT  Challenge  Bike  Ride  is  the  engine  that  fuels  CT  Challenge  survivorship  programs  that  help  cancer  survivors  live  healthier,  happier  and  longer  lives,  filling  the  void  that  exists  to  help  bodies  ravaged  by  the  protocols  needed  to  fight  the  disease  when  hospital  visits  are  done.  This  includes  the  CT  Challenge  Center  for  Survivorship,  which  opened  one  year  ago  in  Southport.        The  Center  for  Survivorship  is  the  only  standalone  survivorship  center  in  the  country.    It  is  an  incubator  for  best  practices  that  will  set  the  model  for  fitness,  nutrition,  community  support  and  lifestyle  programs  nationwide.    CT  Challenge  programs  are  based  on  research  which  shows  that  outcomes  and  outlooks  improve  exponentially  for  cancer  survivors  who  follow  a  programs  like  those  offered  at  the  Center  for  Survivorship.    CT  Challenge  programs  impacted  more  than  54,000  cancer  survivors  last  year.      Speaking  to  assembled  guests,  Bob  Mazzone,  COO  of  the  CT  Challenge  said,  “Your  enthusiasm,  compassion  and  hard  work  built  this  beautiful,  hope-­‐filled  facility  and  continue  to  fund  research  and  programs  that  are  helping  so  many  people.    Our  Road  Warriors  have  accomplished  so  much  on  behalf  of  people  they  don't  even  know,  but  who  need  their  help.”    The  Road  Warriors  and  top  twenty  teams  are  responsible  for  over  $860,000  of  the  funds  raised  in  this  year’s  bike  ride.    Top  community  teams  included  Fairfield’s  Flock  of  Cycles,  Oddsmakers,  Ride  Sally  Ride,  Sclafani,  and  Marshall  Wace;  New  Canaan’s  Riders  for  Survivors;  and  Stamford’s  Alpha  Riders.      Top  corporate  teams  this  year  were  Aetna,  Navigators  Insurance,  BMW  of  Bridgeport,  Orthopaedic  Specialty  Group  and  A  Little  Square.    Participating  hospital  teams  included  Waterbury’s  Leever  Cancer  Center  and  Norwalk  Hospital’s  Whittingham  Cancer  Center.      The  2014  CT  Challenge  Bike  Ride  will  open  for  registration  on  December  1st.    The  ride  takes  place  July  25-­‐26th,  2014  at  the  Fairfield  County  Hunt  Club  in  Westport,  CT.    Participants  choose  to  ride  distances  of  10  –  184  miles  over  one  or  two  days  and  raise  funds  to  support  programs  for  cancer  survivor.    Visit  Bike.ctchallenge.org  for  more  information.  

 About the CT Challenge The CT Challenge (CTC) is a nonprofit dedicated to improving and prolonging the lives of the 14 million cancer survivors living in the US. CTC’s mission is to empower cancer survivors to take control of their health by offering credible educational materials, comprehensive resources and a roadmap for all those impacted by the disease to live healthier, happier and longer lives. The CTC opened the Center for Survivorship in 2013 to lead the field of cancer survivorship care in the areas of nutrition, exercise and community support.

     

 

   

   Top  Thirty  Teams  in  the  2013  CT  Challenge  Bike  Ride    Flock  of  Cycles     $99,182   Fairfield   Captain:  John  Slavin  Team  Navigators     $81,301   Ridgefield   Captain:  Stan  Galanski  BMW  of  Bridgeport     $76,463   Bridgeport   Captain:  Mitchell  McManus  Oddsmakers     $76,455   Fairfield   Captains:  Karin  Keith  &  Sean  Kilbride  Alpha  Riders     $67,171   Stamford   Captains:  Dan  Kayne  &  Dan  Anzalone  Ride  Sally  Ride     $61,875   Fairfield   Captain:  George  Richards  Marshall  Wace     $61,340   Fairfield   Captain:  Michael  Sargent  Riders  for  Survivors   $45,779   New  Canaan   Captain:  John  Murphy  Team  Sclafani     $41,974   Fairfield   Captain:  Bob  Pigue  Team  Leever     $36,831   Bethany   Captains:  Karen  Sabbath  &  Deb  Parkinson  Team  Abercrombie     $32,422            W.  Palm  Beach,  FL   Captain:  Ron  Kramer  Look  No  Hands/OSG   $26,292   Southport   Captain:  Tracey  Brittis  Dawn  Patrol       $26,135   Darien     Captain:  Michael  J.  Smith  Norwalk  Hospital     $22,397   Westport   Captain:  Jay  DesMarteau  Ridgefield       $21,036   Ridgefield   Captain:  Nick  Lieder  A  Little  Square/CFS     $17,786   Southport   Captain:  Alex  Currie  &  Joyce  Quinlan  JoyRide       $17,165   Westport   Captain:  Mitch  Higgins  Believe  in  Mike     $16,870   Fairfield   Captain:  Jeff  Keith  Be  Positive       $16,854   Wilton     Captain:  Jenn  Lewis  Sherpa       $16,270   Westport   Captains:  Jean  Desrosiers  &  Brett  Jones  Charged       $14,660   Southport   Captains:  Gean  Tremain  Multisport  Partners     $13,720   Stamford   Captain:  Douglas  Schwartz  Deyle  down  the  Payn   $13,447.   Fairfield   Captain:  Eric  Deyle  Team  Roman     $12,545   Weston     Captain:  Joni  Roman  RoadKill       $12,165   Norwalk   Captain:  Derek  Paruolo  Darien-­‐New  Canaan     $11,880   Darien     Captain:  Kim  Kiner  Tommy  Fund     $9,992     Milford     Captain:  Caitlin  Smith  Team  Walker     $9943     Rye,  NY   Captain:  Jon  Walker  Hillbusters       $9855     Fairfield   Captain:  Scott  Craighead  Bluebay  Bucs     $9,010     UK     Captain:  Anthony  Robertson