Newswise — When his aunt died of metastatic breast cancer, Shane Stanford wanted to do something to help others facing the disease. His inspiration came in a dream. “I saw motorcycle riders on bikes wearing pink,” he says. Shortly after, he organized the first “Ride for the Cure NM” motorcycle event to raise money for cancer research. At that first event seven years ago, Mr. Stanford registered 12 riders. Last year he registered 1,200.

The proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the University of New Mexico Cancer Center. Each year, Mr. Stanford carefully evaluates the organization to which the proceeds of his event go. He selected the UNM Cancer Center not only because of its vast research efforts but also because of its commitment to serving the people of New Mexico. “That’s the direction I want — helping the research and helping the patients,” he explains. “I want to put the money back into the community.”

This year’s event will take advantage of New Mexico’s spectacularly beautiful scenery. As in the movie “Wild Hogs,” riders will converge in Madrid. “This year, the event’s gotten to the size that I need to split up the registration,” says Mr. Stanford. So, riders will register and start from either Santa Fe or Albuquerque. The following day, they can enjoy a scenic ride through the mountains around Madrid. “The ride itself is just for people who ride,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you ride a scooter or a Harley, just come out and ride.” But the event taking place in Madrid after the ride is for everyone.

The event will include crafts, local and regional vendors, live bands and disc jockeys, restaurants and food vendors, and a children’s corner with age-appropriate fun. Mr. Stanford explains, “I’ve always tried to make it real family-oriented because with cancer, it’s not just affecting you. It affects other family members—the whole family. So, why not make the event for everybody to enjoy?”


About the “Ride for the Cure NM” EventThe “Ride for the Cure NM” event is a two-day event open to the public. The event will take place in Madrid, NM, on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, 2014.

Simultaneous registration in Albuquerque and in Santa Fe will take place on March 29 from 10:00 am until noon. The registration fee is $20 per rider. Albuquerque riders will leave on the 45-minute ride from PJ’s Triumph, 2910 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123 (phone: 505-323-6700). Santa Fe riders will leave on the 30-minute ride from Santa Fe Harley-Davidson, 4360 Rodeo Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87507 (phone: 505-471-3808).

The rides will end in Madrid. Overnight camping in Madrid for March 29 is available to registered riders for free; for non-riders the fee is $5. The scenic mountain ride on March 30 is free.

For more information and to register for the ride, please visit the Ride for the Cure NM Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/229068993932650/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming. The event is labeled: 7th Annual Ride for the Cure NM.

About the UNM Cancer CenterThe UNM Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in the state. One of just 68 premier NCI-Designated Cancer Centers nationwide, the UNM Cancer Center is recognized for its scientific excellence, contributions to cancer research, the delivery of high quality, state of the art cancer diagnosis and treatment to all New Mexicans, and its community outreach programs statewide. Annual federal and private funding of over $71 million supports the UNM Cancer Center’s research programs. The UNM Cancer Center treats more than 60 percent of the adults and virtually all of the children in New Mexico affected by cancer, from every county in the state. It is home to New Mexico’s largest team of board-certified oncology physicians and research scientists, representing every cancer specialty and hailing from prestigious institutions such as M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, and the Mayo Clinic. Through its partnership with Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, the UNM Cancer Center brings world-class cancer care to the southern part of the state; its collaborative clinical programs in Santa Fe and Farmington serve northern New Mexico and it is developing new collaborative programs in Alamogordo and in Roswell/Carlsbad. The UNM Cancer Center also supports several community outreach programs to make cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment available to every New Mexican. Learn more at www.cancer.unm.edu.