Howes Law Firm is proud to be a sponsor of the 2021 Courage Ride, which recently raised $65,000 for sarcoma cancer research.
We would like to thank everyone who supported this important cause including riders, volunteers, and other sponsors.
What Is Courage Ride?
Courage Ride is an annual event that was founded in 2005 by Jackie and Tom Bailey of Riverside to honor the courage of their son, Seth, who passed away at age 25 after battling sarcoma for eight years. All ride proceeds are directed to The University of Iowa Foundation to benefit sarcoma cancer research at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center located at the University of Iowa hospitals and clinics in Iowa City, IA.
More than 500 riders participated in this year’s event, which also included a silent auction.
Why Is Courage Ride Important?
To date, Courage Ride has raised more than $725,000. Those dollars have seeded numerous sarcoma research grants – several that developed into larger, more extensive sarcoma research studies – and support one of the largest sarcoma tissue banks in the Midwest.
“The sarcoma tissue repository, which serves as a very useful resource for all sarcoma researchers, is also funded through the philanthropy funds raised through the Courage Ride,” said Dr. Varun Monga, co-leader of the Sarcoma Research Program at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. “This tissue and the associated clinical data are not only being used by researchers here but also contributes towards a national molecular data bank called the ORIEN, which is a network comprising of multiple academic institutions intending to study sarcomas.”
Clinical trials are the backbone of advancing sarcoma treatments and require significant resources. Courage Ride has provided the necessary funds to help support the research to advance the understanding of biology and treatments of sarcomas. About 85% of all sarcoma seed grant funding at the university comes from Courage Ride donations.
The significance of Courage Ride is underscored by the fact that funding for cancer research has been shrinking over the past 10 years, according to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Sarcoma receives 1 to 2 percent of all cancer research funding.
What Is Sarcoma Cancer?
Sarcoma is a rare cancer comprising less than 1% of all adult cancers and 21% of childhood cancers. There are more than 150 subtypes of sarcoma that are categorized as either soft tissue or bone.
Sarcomas are characterized as localized, locally advanced, or metastatic when they are first found.
- Those diagnosed with localized sarcoma have an 81% five-year survival rate.
- Those diagnosed with locally advanced sarcoma have a 56% five-year survival rate.
- Those diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma have a 15% five-year survival rate.
The National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute estimates 13,460 new sarcoma cases will be diagnosed in 2021, with more than 5,300 succumbing to the disease.
Still Time to Donate
If you didn’t participate in the ride but would like to donate, click here. Mark your calendars now for the 2022 Courage Ride scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 13. Courage Ride is a 501(c)3 organization.
About Howes Law Firm
We have been serving clients throughout Cedar Rapids on a wide range of legal matters since 1989. Our areas of practice include the following:
Our attorneys have extensive experience in representing clients no matter how complex the legal challenge. If you need legal counsel, contact us through our online form or by calling (319) 264-2922.