FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BREAKAWAY FROM CANCER® RETURNS AS PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE 6th ANNUAL DANA POINT GRAND PRIX OF CYCLING FOR 2012
THE DANA POINT GRAND PRIX OF CYCLING IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE PRESENTING SPONSORSHIP OF AMGEN’S BREAKAWAY FROM CANCER FOR THIS YEAR’S USA CYCLING NCC SANCTIONED EVENT ON SUNDAY MAY 6TH 2012 WITH PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT LOCAL AND NATIONAL CHARITIES.
DANA POINT, Calif.- Feb. 28, 2012 – Great partnership, uplifting theme, awesome race course and a commitment to helping charities and the local community.
The Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation (DPCCF) is pleased to announce Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer®initiative as returning presenting sponsor for the 6th Annual Dana Point Grand Prix. Through Breakaway from Cancer (www.breakawayfromcancer.com), Amgen works with four non-profit partners – the Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship – to raise awareness of the important resources available to cancer patients, every step of the way. The Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix will collaborate with the Pacific Meso Center at the Pacific Heart Lung Blood Institute in Los Angeles as coordinator of the inspiring Breakaway Walk, immediately prior to the professional men’s event. The Breakaway Walk will honor cancer survivors, caregivers, family and advocates.
“Amgen created Breakaway from Cancer out of the belief that just as in cycling where it takes a strong support team to break away from the pack; it also takes a team approach to fight cancer,” explained Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “We are proud to once again sponsor the Dana Point Grand Prix and the many activities taking place at the event to recognize, honor and celebrate cancer survivors.”
Clare Cameron, Executive Director of the Pacific Meso Center at the Pacific Heart Lung Blood Institute (PHLBI) (www.pacificmesocenter.org) is excited about the new collaboration. “The Pacific Meso Center at PHLBI is pleased and proud to join with the Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix. We are thankful the City of Dana Point has opened up its beautiful downtown streets to bike racers and cancer survivors alike. We hope to see hundreds if not thousands of cancer survivors, caregivers and family members join us celebrate life in the ‘Breakaway Walk’ before the start of the Men’s Pro race.”
The national criterium race on Sunday, May 6th, will attract the nation’s top professional and amateur racers. The closed six turn criterium course will wind through the neighborhoods above the bluff overlooking beautiful Dana Point Harbor and again finish on the iconic Pacific Coast Highway (Del Prado) before a sea of excited fans. The race course offers ample areas to view and cheer our nation’s top elite cycling athletes. Public, kids, amateur and pro races will race all day, from 7 am to 6 pm PST.
The Dana Point Grand Prix (DPGP) is recognized as one of America’s premier one-day professional races, and has quickly gained accolades among athletes and sports fans as the best venue on the West Coast. In addition to offering world class action on the race course, the DPGP showcases music, a beer garden on the finishing stretch, a Fan Zone Expo area on the race course, In ‘n Out Burger, and our popular, Kids Zone. The Youth Races promise to be a big hit for the entire family when the kids ride the same course as the Pro’s. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Roger Worthington, President of the DPCCF, who also doubles with professional announcer Dave Towle as the voices of the bike race, encourages everyone to come on down and become part of the action. “Every year we get bigger and better. This year will be no exception. The buzz began building the moment the incredible pro race ended last year. We anticipate record setting fields, huge crowds, tons of kids, high speed racing, and the ultimate — a chance to reflect, to thank our lucky stars and honor cancer patients who would give up a lung just to return to normalcy.”
For further information about the Pacific Meso Center, please contact:
Clare Cameron
Executive Director
Pacific Meso Center at PHLBI
For more information about the event, please visit: www.danapointgrandprix.com.
About Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling
USA Cycling, the governing body of professional and amateur competitive cycling in the U.S., created the National Criterium Calendar (NCC) as a prestigious series of the top 19 races throughout North America in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Boston, St Louis, and Dana Point to recognize the top pro-level talent in American cycling.
The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling is organized by the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation with a mission of community cycling advocacy and growth. All proceeds will be donated to charity. Last year, portion of the proceeds were donated to national cancer charities along with the local 5th Marine Regiment Support Group and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley. In 2011 the DPCCF along with local retailer Buy My Bikes sponsored the Boys & Girls Club Operation Homework Holiday by donating 50 bicycles to children who excelled in the Boys & Girls Club after school homework program.
About Breakaway from Cancer®
Founded in 2005 by Amgen, Breakaway from Cancer® is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship. Breakaway from Cancer is a collaboration between Amgen and four nonprofit partner organizations: Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly known as The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation, and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. These organizations offer a broad range of support services complementing those provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com. Follow us on www.twitter.com/
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com. Follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.
CONTACT
Russ Ames
Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation, Inc.
Mary Klem
Amgen
