CANNON BEACH, Ore. — Hundreds of cyclists are about to hit the road on Wednesday, riding from the Oregon Coast to New Jersey to raise money for cancer research.
The fundraiser 'Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer' kicks off in Cannon Beach on Sept. 8 and ends on Oct. 1. The ride starts at Haystack Rock and goes all the way to Long Branch, New Jersey.
One of the participants, Mark DeLong, is a cancer survivor. He also lost his teenage son, Peter, who battled cancer for two years and died 16 years ago. DeLong said he's going to ride for Peter.
"My son, Peter, at the end of his life told us that everyday is a gift. I just try to live that and it's just not my motto, it's something I do, so this is a great way for me and my family to give back," DeLong said.
DeLong said these types of fundraisers are crucial in finding a cancer cure.
The month-long ride will be done in teams and riders will trade off every 80 miles. The 230 participants are all employees at Bristol Myers Squibb, a company that researches cancer treatments.
Participants have already raised $500,000 and Bristol Myers matched another $500,000.
Since 2014, more than 530 Bristol Myers employees have raised over $7 million for cancer research through the 'Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer' rides. If you want to donate, you can go to cancerbikeride.org.