Our 2017 10th Anniversary Gran Fondo was a wonderful success, and incredibly fun! As they finished their ride, participant after participant declared it “the best Ride for Hope ever!” Ride for Hope is now gearing up for the 2018 event, which will be held in Eleuthera on Saturday, March 10.
Together, with its supporters, Ride for Hope fights cancer in The Bahamas. Supporters participate for many reasons: some because they have survived cancer, others in memory of loved ones, or honoring those in the fight, and truly because they all care.
Year after year, Ride for Hope remains inspired and uplifted by its participants.
The Ride for Hope is a fundraiser which garners funds together to meaningfully impact a critical cause, and eradicate cancer from the shores of the Bahamas. Riders’ donations help save lives every day, and we are committed to helping riders do so by putting on a high-caliber event.
Across The Bahamas the burdens of cancer care and treatment are great and demand a sustainable partnership between public and private stakeholders.
Cancer treatment is extremely expensive, and frequently beyond the ability of families across the nation to pay. Sadly, cancer treatment often creates deep and lasting financial stress for families involved, at the very least.
Against this backdrop, Ride for Hope set out ten years ago to make a significant difference, and to date has raised close to $3,000,000.
The 10th Anniversary Gran Fondo created a philanthropic response of more than $550,000. The fundraising effort per participant skyrocketed by 195% over the last event.
Many factors contributed to this success, and during a transition year, no less. For the first time, the 10th Anniversary Gran Fondo participants collectively achieved lofty goals by fundraising amounts linked to their participation, and submitting them in advance of the event.
There were six different levels of participation, each level with its own fundraising minimum and rider benefits.
All rose to the challenge, confirming that we will continue to follow this format. Further, one of the most compelling reasons behind the best-ever declaration is certainly the new location: Cocodimama Charming Resort..
Nestled on a west-facing cove in Governor’s Harbour, Cocodimama provided Ride for Hope (RFH) with its own sense of place. The Staging Area was virtually a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. In the beautiful, serene, sea-side setting participants, volunteers and corporate sponsors rode, relaxed and celebrated the day together.
Ride for Hope’s (RFH) success created and maintains the Treatment Assistance Fund, the first of its kind in the country, which supports cancer patients with their treatment costs through financial grants. The Family Islands Mammogram Screening Program (FIMS), another ongoing RFH programme, brings women from Family Islands to New Providence for free mammogram screenings and follow ups if necessary. RFH also made a major contribution to the purchase of the Princess Margaret Hospital’s digital mammography machine and paid off the debt incurred by the Cancer Society to build its hospice center in New Providence.
