Lobo Cancer Challenge

Lobo Cancer Challenge Supports New Mexicans Facing Cancer

The 2nd Annual Lobo Cancer Challenge, held September 8, 2018, built on the success of its inaugural event in 2017, more than doubling registrations over the year before. This year, a 5K Run/Walk was added to the choice of 25, 50 or 100 mile Bike Ride commitments for the fundraisers, who are called “Challengers.”

 

The participants accomplish their own athletic challenge and also challenge cancer together as a community on the day of the event.

All routes began and ended at Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 25 mile Challengers enjoyed the Bosque Bike Trail, and the 50 and 100 mile Challengers toured the East Mountains. The 5K Challengers enjoyed a police-protected route that took them around the Stadium neighborhood, and many families tackled the route together. The 5K provided the opportunity for many more families to participate together this year.

 

Sponsors from the community support event expenses, which means that 100 percent of the fundraising dollars raised by the Challengers goes directly to groundbreaking research, patient care services, or education for medical professionals at The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center.

 

Challengers commit to meet a fundraising minimum and are offered incentives, such as a custom Lobo Cancer Challenge 2018 Bike Jersey, for exceptional efforts. They can direct their donations to their choice of 17 programs that support cancer patients, research specialties, or education, which is a feature unique to the Lobo Cancer Challenge among similar events nationwide.

 

The 350 Challengers participated in 41 teams and were joined by more than 180 volunteers making the Lobo Cancer Challenge a true community event. The Challengers brought a lot of inspiration, designing their own team T-shirts for their creatively-named teams, such as “Riders for Racks,” “Breast. Day. Ever,” “Pedal it Forward,” and “Pirates of the Cure-ibbean.” Doctors from the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center led their own teams in the Challenge. The Breast Cancer doctors called their team “Save 2nd Base.”

 

Cheryl Willman, MD, Director and CEO of the UNM Cancer Center, says “This fundraising event helps us to deliver the best cancer care in the world. We are deeply grateful to our community for their tremendous support in helping all New Mexicans facing cancer.”