Newswise — Organizers of the second annual Lobo Cancer Challenge have opened registration. The event will take place Sept. 8 at Dreamstyle Stadium. In addition to the 100-, 50- and 25-mile bike rides, the organizing team is adding a 5K run/walk this year. Proceeds benefit The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Cheryl Willman, MD, Director and CEO of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, said that the Lobo Cancer Challenge supports areas that revenue, grants, and other funding do not cover. Programs that benefit from the event’s proceeds, she said, include those that help cancer scientists to conduct research pilot projects and those that help patients travel to and from their treatment.

Organizers added a 5K run/walk to include those who don’t ride but who still want to take part. The event will once again offer fully-supported bike rides of 25 miles along the Bosque and 50 and 100 miles through the East Mountains.

Last year’s event raised more than $164,000 from sponsors and riders, and included 168 riders and 173 volunteers. Sponsors support ride expenses, allowing every dollar that the riders, runners and walkers raise to support the UNM Cancer Center. Participants are required to meet a fundraising minimum and can direct their fundraising to support one of 17 cancer areas.

“This fundraising event helps us to deliver the best cancer care in the world,” Willman said. “We are deeply grateful to our community for their tremendous support in helping all New Mexicans facing cancer.”

About The Lobo Cancer Challenge

The Lobo Cancer Challenge is a fundraising event to ensure that the people of New Mexico have access to outstanding cancer care and benefit from the latest cancer research right here, in their home state, at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. All proceeds support cancer treatment, cancer research, clinical trials, and education for cancer healthcare professionals. Each of these components plays a significant part in delivering world-class cancer care — the cancer care New Mexicans deserve — in New Mexico.

The 2018 Lobo Cancer Challenge will take place Saturday, September 8, 2018, and is presented by Blake’s Lotaburger. All routes begin and end at Dreamstyle Stadium.

To learn more and to register as a rider, runner, walker or volunteer, visit www.LoboCancerChallenge.org.

About the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in a 500-mile radius. Its 125 board-certified oncology specialty physicians include cancer surgeons in every specialty (abdominal, thoracic, bone and soft tissue, neurosurgery, genitourinary, gynecology, and head and neck cancers), adult and pediatric hematologists/medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists, and radiation oncologists. They, along with more than 600 other cancer healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, navigators, psychologists and social workers), provided cancer care for nearly 60 percent of the adults and 70 percent of the children in New Mexico affected by cancer. They treated 11,928 patients in 92,551 ambulatory clinic visits in addition to in-patient hospitalizations at UNM Hospital. These patients came from every county in the State. More than 12 percent of these patients participated in cancer clinical trials testing new cancer treatments and 35 percent of patients participated in other clinical research studies, including tests of novel cancer prevention strategies and cancer genome sequencing. The 130 cancer research scientists affiliated with the UNMCCC were awarded almost $50 million in federal and private grants and contracts for cancer research projects and published 301 high quality publications. Promoting economic development, they filed more than 30 new patents in FY16, and since 2010, have launched 11 new biotechnology start-up companies. Scientists associated with the UNMCCC Cancer Control & Disparities have conducted more than 60 statewide community-based cancer education, prevention, screening, and behavioral intervention studies involving more than 10,000 New Mexicans. Finally, the physicians, scientists and staff have provided education and training experiences to more than 230 high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellowship students in cancer research and cancer health care delivery. Learn more at cancer.unm.edu.