Our team of 30 bike riders will be cycling on June 8 in the Million Dollar Bike Ride, an annual rare disease fundraising event sponsored by the Orphan Disease Center at the University of Pennsylvania. This year, for the first time, we have a team representing inclusion body myositis, and our first-year effort is turning out to be a huge success.
Riders from California, Washington State, New Mexico, Arkansas, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Canada will be riding for IBM. Our initial fundraising goal was $30,000, in order to take full advantage of the maximum $30,000 of matching funds from the University of Pennsylvania. Team Cure IBM has already smashed through that goal: $45,000 has already been collected from 300 donors. Combined with the matching funds from the University of Pennsylvania, this will result in a research grant of at least $75,000 to study inclusion body myositis. Those who have already donated deserve a huge THANK YOU!
Cure IBM would like to offer a special thanks to our sponsor, Orphazyme, the Danish biopharmaceutical company. Orphazyme is currently conducting a clinical trial of arimoclomol for the treatment of inclusion body myositis, and has generously contributed to our efforts in the Million Dollar Bike Ride.
Having surpassed the initial $30,000 goal, we have now set a new goal: $70,000. With the $30,000 matching funds, this would bring our total to $100,000, which may be enough for two separate pilot grants, or one large research grant.
Please Support Our Riders
Riders have been training for the ride, and will be traveling to Philadelphia and staying in hotels, as well as transporting or renting bicycles. Please support their dedication with your donation. You will directly fund IBM research, which may move us one step closer to an effective treatment for inclusion body myositis.
Volunteers are needed for helping with on-site registration, parking, driver SAG support, assisting food vendors, monitoring the bike corral, cheering at the finish line with the pep team, and cleaning up. If you live in the Philadelphia area, your help as a volunteer would be greatly appreciated. You can register to volunteer on the Million Dollar Bike Ride website.
New Riders are Welcome!
It’s not too late to sign up to ride as a member of the team. You can even sign up on the day of the event, but on-site registration will be cash or check only.
Donations are made to the University of Pennsylvania, who will temporarily hold the money before distributing it in the form of an IBM research grant. Doctors and scientists from all over the world are eligible.
Online donations can be made on the main Team Cure IBM Giving Page on the University of Pennsylvania website. Online donations can be made until the end of June.
Donate to Team Cure IBM in the Million Dollar Bike Ride!
Checks should be made out to “Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” and mailed to:
Cure IBM
2020 5th Street, #654
Davis, CA 95617
Checks need to be received by June 20, 2019.
