New England's Spinning Events Fight Cancer Through Fun and Fitness

2012 Spin for Hope is scheduled for Sunday, March 4!

On March 6, 2011, more than 900 Spin for Hope participants at 41 health clubs throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont pedaled tirelessly to show their support and dedication to the fight against cancer.  This three-hour indoor cycling event raised nearly $300,000.  Wayside Racquet & Swim Club in Marlborough was the top club this year, with nearly $28,000 raised; RPM Fitness was the top new club this year, and #7 club overall, raising nearly $13,000; Gold's Gym in Warwick, RI, was also a new club this year and came in at #9 overall, raising nearly $10,000.

Spin for Hope participants can either register as an individual and cycle for the entire three hours, or form a team of two or more people and take turns cycling. Individuals registering to cycle the whole three hours were asked to raise a minimum of $300, and teammates needed to raise a minimum of $100 each.

To learn more about Spin for Hope, visit our 2012 Web site.

Photo: Sixty-two riders at the Manchester , MA, Athletic Club raised more than $19,000 this year. The club has participated in Spin for Hope since the event began in 2005.

12th Annual SpinOdyssey Raises Half a Million Dollars for Breast Cancer Research

Also on March 6, SpinOdyssey, a third- party annual event in Connecticut, raised $500,000 for breast cancer research.  Intensity Athletic Club in Norwalk hosted the event that drew 600 people who came together to spin, Zumba, or play tennis for six hours straight. The event  benefits American Cancer Society "pay-if" researchers who focus on breast cancer. Several of the researchers whose careers in cancer research were rescued thanks to SpinOdyssey spoke about their work at a dinner for top fundraisers the night before the event, inspiring participants to gather more pledges than ever.

"The researchers are the heroes and are treated like rock stars," said Patrice Bedrosian, American Cancer Society director of communications in Connecticut. "They stand on stage and get standing ovations and people come up to them and kiss them or have photos taken with them. These post-docs lives are changed forever by this event, and they expect to use their grants to change the lives of others."  

Visit the Spin Odyssey Web site.