JOIN US!
On June 13, you can support the cause of inclusion body myositis by biking, walking, running, swimming, or riding in your own town or city. The Million Dollar Bike Ride has become a virtual event this year. Although it is unfortunate that Team Cure IBM cannot ride in Philadelphia on Saturday, there is a silver lining — everyone can participate!
Whether you live in New York City, Omaha, or Pacific Grove, California, you can be a part of the team. You can cycle in Göttingen, Germany, pedal your stationary bicycle in Perth, Australia, walk along the river in Bend, Oregon, run through a park in London, England, swim in your backyard pool in Tucson, Arizona, or ride your wheelchair around the block in Valdosta, Georgia. The Million Dollar Bike Ride is open to all this year.
The Million Dollar Bike Ride is a rare disease event sponsored by the Orphan Disease Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Each year, about 25 teams of riders cycle through Philadelphia, with each team raising money for a specific rare disease. Last year an inclusion body myositis team rode for the first time. We funded a $102,340 grant which was awarded to Dr. Steven Greenberg at Harvard Medical School. He is using the grant to study a potential new treatment for inclusion body myositis.
The University of Pennsylvania invited us back to participate again this year, and we’ve already raised about $28,000. The University of Pennsylvania matches all donations up to a maximum of $30,000, so we’ll be able to offer a research grant of at least $56,000! A standard grant for a pilot research project is $50,000, so we’ve met our major goal and achieved another success!
The Million Dollar Bike Ride thrives on participation, and it would help our cause if we could increase our number of participants in the event. You can still register to be a “virtual rider.” The registration fee is $45, and all of the money goes into the inclusion body myositis fund for the research grant. Your $45 will be doubled by the University of Pennsylvania, and will therefore add $90 to the IBM research grant. You do not need to fundraise in order to be a virtual rider.
Whether you ride or walk, you can choose a location and a distance appropriate for you. You can make your participation as private or as public as you like. You may choose to just tell your family and a few close friends about your efforts. Or you may choose to post on social media and spread the word as widely as possible about inclusion body myositis. Everyone, no matter your health or your location, can contribute to the greater inclusion body myositis community and be a part of something special.
HOW TO REGISTER
TO REGISTER, GO TO THIS WEBPAGE AND CLICK ON THE SMALL “REGISTRATION” BUTTON.
You will need to fill out some forms. Please realize that these forms were designed before the coronavirus pandemic, when we were planning to ride our bicycles in Philadelphia. Now that the event is virtual, and you can participate from home, not just by biking, but also by walking and other activities, the questions on the form are not always appropriate.
Click on the small registration button.
Fill in your name and email address.
Choose how you’d like to register — Registration Without Fundraising. That is all you have to do on this page. Hit “Save and Continue.”
Event Information: A. Registration — $45.00 – Registration Without Fundraising B. Please select your ride length — 13 miles. The form was updated to contain options for different activities and distances. Select 13 miles, but feel free to actually do any distance and activity that is appropriate for you. C. Disease Team — Team Cure IBM (THIS IS IMPORTANT – BE SURE TO SELECT “TEAM CURE IBM.”
The rest of the forms are for personal and billing information.
SATURDAY EVENTS
Even if you do not register as a rider, you can still participate in the online welcome and celebration program that starts at 11:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday, June 13.
Registered riders are eligible to join an online spinning class starting at 12 noon.
SOCIAL MEDIA
If you do post on social media, please use the hashtag:
#TeamCureIBM2020
Tag us on Facebook and Twitter: @CureIBM
Please also tag the Million Dollar Bike Ride itself:
Facebook: @Milliondollarbikeride
Instagram: @MDBRide4Rare
Twitter: @MDBRide4Rare
#PennMedMDBR2020
DONATIONS
CREDIT CARD
Online donations by credit card can be made until the end of June.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE DONATION WEBPAGE.
CHECK
At this date, donations can no longer be accepted by check.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MILLION DOLLAR BIKE RIDE
The Million Dollar Bike Ride homepage
Revised by Kevin Dooley, MD
June 16, 2020