Cure on Wheels aims to end in Tallahassee with donation to Moffitt Center

What’s now become a tradition, a long bicycle trek through much of Florida’s Gulf Coast promises to raise funds for cancer research and assistance at a key center in Tampa.

Cure on Wheels will stretch along the West Coast of Florida and take four days to complete as bicyclists end their trip on Wednesday in the state capital. The event runs 325 miles from Tampa to Tallahassee beginning Sunday and will wind up in the Capitol Courtyard Wednesday at about 11:15 a.m.

Much of the money raised from Cure on Wheels will go to the Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute. Initially established by the Florida Legislature in Tampa, the center is a nonprofit organization. It was founded in 1981, and the hospital, on the University of South Florida campus, was operational in 1986.

“Their annual Capitol Ride from Tampa to Tallahassee kicks off the cancer center’s annual Moffitt Day at the Florida Capitol. The day of advocacy recognizes the need for continued legislative support of Moffitt and its mission to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer,” a press release said.

The key to the bicycle ride is a significant financial contribution to the Moffitt Center. There are at least 35 cyclists expected to take part in the ride that peddles through the Gulf Coast. Once the Cure on Wheels riders arrive in Tallahassee, they’ll present three checks totaling $40,000.

That funding will help with research and treatment for blood and marrow transplant services for adolescent and young adult fertility.

Cure on Wheels organizes several bicycle rides in multiple areas yearly and helps raise funds for various nonprofit causes. Two years ago, the ride from Tampa to Tallahassee raised $70,000

Moffitt has more than 7,800 team members and creates an economic impact of $2.4 billion in Florida. The center in Tampa is part of a larger umbrella of 57 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.