The Miami Dolphins announced on Monday that the third annual Dolphins Cycling Challenge (DCC), a two-day, 170-mile trans-Florida charity cycling event to benefit Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, will take place on November 3-4, 2012. This major community initiative is a collaborative effort between the Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, with proceeds going to directly to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“Steve Ross and the Miami Dolphins are thrilled to be a part of this cornerstone philanthropic initiative for a third consecutive year,” said Dolphins CEO Mike Dee in a press release. “South Florida is a world-class community deserving of a world-class cancer center. We hope Sylvester can continue growing its footprint and positively impacting those in our community who face the challenges associated with this insidious disease.”
The Dolphins Cycling Challenge is a tri-county charity cycling event founded by the Dolphins to increase cancer awareness, encourage healthy hobbies, and raise funds for UM’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, which has facilities in Miami, Kendall, and Deerfield Beach. In its second year, the DCC was an enormous success, attracting more than 800 riders and raising more than $1,070,000 for cancer research at Sylvester.
Describing the 2011 ride as “inspirational,” W. Jarrard Goodwin, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Sylvester and co-leader of “Team Sylvester,” said it “was a very special experience to ride with so many of my colleagues and patients through the three counties where Sylvester has a strong presence. I know the moral and financial support of our patients and friends will motivate us again this year.”
Joining Team Sylvester in 2012 is the newly appointed Director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., who is eager to take part in the signature community fundraising event for the cancer center. “We work in teams at Sylvester to find new therapies and bring hope to patients and families. The Dolphins Cycling Challenge,” said Nimer, “similarly brings teams together to work toward our common goal: fighting cancer.”
Michael Mandich, whose father and Dolphins great Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich was treated at Sylvester, has been a vocal supporter of the DCC since its inception and rode the full 170 miles last year, working with the DCC to unveil the “88 Mad Dog Lane Water Stop” in honor of his father. “The DCC is near and dear to the Mandich Family, especially to my father. The inclusion of the 88 Mad Dog Lane Water Stop cements his imprint on this event, which has limitless potential for the South Florida community.”
