Lymphoma Research Foundation Launches Motorcycle Event 'Key Ride to Cure Lymphoma' 10/21/2003
From: Lorraine Stiehl, 619-885-1212; or Julie Kimbrough, 212-585-3501 News Advisory: -- San Diego Harley-Davidson and Local HOG Club Rally Around Young Mother Battling Disease Motorcyclists throughout San Diego County will be revving their engines and embarking on a 70-mile ride to benefit the newly formed Southern California Chapter of the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF). The "Key Ride to Cure Lymphoma" will begin on Saturday, October 25 at San Diego Harley-Davidson in Kearny Mesa and will end at Cane's Bar & Grill in Mission Beach with a party and silent auction. This inaugural fundraiser will include a Poker Run and a "Bad Blood Blues" Party featuring the music of Michael John and the Bottom Line. The Lymphoma Research Foundation is a nationally recognized non-profit health organization dedicated to eradicating lymphoma and serving those touched by the disease. Approximately 500,000 Americans are affected by lymphoma-the most common of all blood cancers and the third most common cancer of childhood. Both San Diego Harley-Davidson and San Diego HOG (Harley Owners Group) chose to partner with the local chapter of LRF because of a young San Diego mother of three, Laura Bambrick, who was dealt a devastating blow this past year with the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, just eleven months after delivering her baby. "We never imagined at age 34 that I'd be diagnosed with cancer. I'm healthy, I have no family history of lymphoma, and I didn't fall into any of the risk categories," said Ms. Bambrick. "All I could think about was my three young children and if I was going to be around long enough to watch them grow up. I decided to get informed and active. Since the Lymphoma Research Foundation was one of my saviors, I was delighted to chair this inaugural fundraising event," she added. Numerous organizations in San Diego have joined the local chapter in supporting the event. The local San Diego Harley Owners Group (HOG) Club cancelled their own Poker Run to partner with the Lymphoma Research Foundation instead. In addition, Henry's Marketplace is selling "Key to Cure Lymphoma" paper keys for $1 in all of their San Diego stores. Other sponsors include The Switch, Delkin Devices, Canes Bar & Grill, SD360.com, Energized Distribution, Burnco Industries, Inc., and Jordano's Food Service. "We're so honored to be a partner in the first-ever "Key Ride to Cure Lymphoma" and will do everything we can to ensure that the day is a huge success and a lot of fun," added Gilbert Ocha, Chapter Director of San Diego HOG. For more information on the October 25th Key Ride, Poker Run and "Bad Blood Blues" Party, call 619-334-9443 or http://www.thekeyride.com. Registration runs from 8 - 10 a.m. on October 25th at San Diego Harley-Davidson in Kearny Mesa, 5600 Kearney Mesa Road. All motorcycles and cars are welcome to participate. Tickets are $25 per driver and $15 per passenger, which includes party and silent auction. The mission of the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is to eradicate lymphoma and serve those touched by the disease. The Foundation is the nation's largest lymphoma-focused voluntary health organization devoted exclusively to funding research to cure all lymphomas and providing patients and healthcare professionals with critical information on the disease. To date, LRF has funded over $9 million in lymphoma research. People affected by lymphoma can receive free personalized information tailored to their diagnosis, help with finding a clinical trial, and easy-to-understand information on lymphoma, current treatments, and promising research. Please call 800-500-9976, email helpline@lymphoma.org, or visit the website http://www.lymphoma.org. |