Multi-city Motorcycle Ride Tackles Global Cancer Crisis
The first multi-city motorcycle ride to celebrate international day is attracting riders, celebrities and cancer survivors in the global battle against cancer with a series of STAR RIDE 2010 events slated for Southern California and Atlanta, along with other participants in cities, towns and villages around the world.
In association with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and other organisations, Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Community Charities is producing the inaugural STAR RIDE as one of an anticipated 1,000+ events to be held in more than 30 countries on seven continents around the world.
Raising awareness of the global cancer crisis is the goal of the 2010 events, as cancer has now eclipsed heart disease as the most deadly and expensive disease in the world.
"Of the 12 million people who are diagnosed with cancer each year around 20% of cases can be attributed to viral and bacterial infections that either directly cause or increase the risk of cancer," said Professor David Hill, UICC President. "For this reason the UICC, with over 370 member organisations in more than 118 countries will focus on increasing awareness of the contribution of infections to the global cancer burden."
In addition to building awareness, the STAR RIDE events are mobilizing for 1 million signatures on the World Cancer Declaration to be presented to the United Nations in Feburary 2011 in conjunction with World Cancer Day, to help bring the growing cancer crisis to the attention of government leaders and health policymakers.
The goal is to significantly reduce the global cancer burden by 2020, with targets including significant drops in global tobacco consumption, obesity and alcohol intake; universal vaccination programmes for hepatitis B and human papilloma virus (HPV) to prevent liver and cervical cancer; dramatic reductions in the emigration of health workers with specialist cancer training; universal availability of effective pain medication; and dispelling myths and misconceptions about cancer.
A focus on the increased risk of cancer in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is intended to elevate awareness of this group as being one of the six most at-risk populations. “We’re both raising awareness and financial support for programs in this community and are reaching out to people around the world to participate,” said John Boswell, program director, recent cancer survivor, and 2010 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man of the Year candidate.
Organizers in Southern California and Atlanta are preparing for regional STAR RIDE events, including motorcycle rides from West Hollywood, Long Beach, Orange County and San Diego to Palm Springs, as well as riders converging in Atlanta from surrounding states in the southeast USA for community-wide events. Individuals in cities, towns and villages around the world are being encouraged to join in their own solo rides and share their experiences online through the official STAR RIDE website.
For more information contact: John Bowell
Email: boz@getavision.org
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