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March 29, 2024

Cyclists raise funds for cancer patients at Homewood

By ALYSSA WOODEN | September 28, 2017

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The nonprofit organization 24 Foundation, a charity that supports those affected by cancer, hosted 24 Baltimore, a cycling event held on the Homewood Campus last weekend. While 24 Baltimore is an annual fundraiser, this was the first year it took place at Hopkins.

Participants cycled a 2.1-mile loop surrounding the campus. The event kicked off at 2 p.m. on Saturday and continued until 2 p.m. on Sunday, although many cyclists chose not to remain on the road for the full 24 hours. Participants had the option to go home Saturday night and return Sunday morning or sleep in a tent on Decker Quad for the night.

The starting line was located on Wyman Park Drive near Mason Hall. Before the event started, participants gathered on Decker Quad, which was lined with booths set up by corporate sponsors as well as food and water stations.

All those who cycled in the event were required to meet a fundraising goal of $200, or $100 for Hopkins students. Proceeds were donated to the Livestrong Foundation, a national organization working to improve the lives of people affected by cancer, and the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a Baltimore nonprofit that supports young adults with cancer.

24 Foundation has held cycling events in Maryland for the past ten years, although past events have been held in Columbia, Md. instead of Baltimore.

Tiffani Evans, communications and marketing director for 24 Foundation, said that the organization chose to hold an event on Homewood Campus because of connections they had with members of the Hopkins community.

“It’s a beautiful campus. The way it’s laid out works really well for us,” Evans said. “The school has been super helpful.”

Evans joined 24 Foundation in May of this year. 24 Baltimore is her third fundraiser, following similar events in Charlotte, N.C. and Indianapolis.

Many of the cyclists rode in honor of a loved one who had died of cancer. Jennifer Magin, a resident of Olney, Md., has been cycling in 24 Foundation events with her son Paul since 2010, the year her husband died of cancer.

“We wanted to raise money to fight cancer and we all like riding our bikes,” she said. “The first year I did it I knew I wanted to come back.”

Though they did not cycle the full 24 hours, Magin and her son stayed on campus for the duration of the event. They set up a tent to sleep in on Decker Quad.

Magin explained that she enjoys spending time at cycling events.

“It’s fun to stay the whole 24 hours. We’re never quite trained for that but I take a lot of ibuprofen and we have a lot of fun,” she said.

Lisa Davis, a Baltimore community member who recently moved into the area, was first diagnosed with cancer in 2009. She has been in remission for eight years. Although she chose not to cycle, she attended 24 Baltimore to support a friend and said that she enjoyed the atmosphere of the event.

“It’s a lot better set up than I thought it would be,” she said. “Everything is going very smoothly.”

Davis has been volunteering at the Ulman Cancer Fund for the past six months. She discussed how her own experience with cancer helped her appreciate the value of helping others.

“I always try to give back because I know how hard it is, and it’s an amazing feeling to be able to give back to those that are sick,” she said.

Evans explained that 85 percent of the money raised from the events is donated to the Ulman Cancer Fund, which benefits members of the Baltimore community.

“The funds raised here today stay here, which is really cool,” she said. “It’s going to those affected by cancer now to help them through their journey.”

Among the services offered by the Ulman Cancer Fund are one-on-one patient support, meetups and group programs and household assistance for those affected by cancer. The fund was founded in Baltimore in 2009 by cancer survivor Doug Ulman, who noticed a need for programs that address the issues impacting young adults with cancer.

Towson resident Allison Cosgrove cycled in honor of her brother-in-law Brian, a Hopkins alum who died of Non-Hodgkin’s’ Lymphoma in 2016. Cosgrove said that while it was her third time participating in a 24 Foundation event, this was the first year she had not trained much beforehand.

Cosgrove mentioned that she did not typically spend the night at 24 Foundation cycling events, although some of her friends had camped out in past years.

“We would bike for most of the time and then go home and come back early in the morning,” she said.

The best part of the event for Cosgrove was honoring her brother-in-law.

“This was the thing he wanted to do so we’re doing it for him,” she said.


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