Help me fundraise for #PadresPedal – Cancer Research!

Hello! I need your help to support a great cause! I am raising funds for Cancer Research through the organization Pedal the Cause San Diego with a funding goal of $750! Please be as generous as you can. Here’s my link to donate to my fundraiser: https://support.gopedal.org/fundraiser/3251995

Here’s why I’d appreciate your help:

I’ve worn a LIVESTRONG bracelet since middle-school. It’s been 13 years! Why?! For many reasons, but for one reason primarily: Cancer impacts every one of us. 13 years-ago at a middle-school assembly a school counselor said, “put your hand up if you know someone impacted by cancer.” Every person in that room put their hand up. That moment has stuck with me for 13 years.

The scariest thought about cancer is the connection we share through our stories and experiences. My story is not special, maybe average, and that’s by far the scariest thought. Reflect on your story, here’s mine: I never met my Dad’s father, he passed away from cancer; my aunt Susie passed away from cancer; I have close friends and coworkers currently battling cancer; my aunt Patti recently overcame breast cancer. It’s been 13 years since my school counselor asked us to reflect on cancer. Responding to the same statement today, my hand is still in the air. I know many people impacted by cancer. It’s been 13 years.

I wear a LIVESTRONG bracelet because the awareness is still important to me. It’s not a fashion statement. I often get comments like, “is that a LIVESTRONG bracelet?! You know Lance Armstrong is a cheater, right?!” I respond “Yes” and “Yes” with a smile. Silently I am again reminded that cancer impacts every one of us, and sometimes I vocalize that the Livestrong organization raised and donated 100 million dollars to cancer research simply from selling $1 bracelets. Ignore the cheater…that’s a wild fundraiser with great awareness. Here’s my turn, be as generous as you can. Link to donate to my fundraiser: https://support.gopedal.org/fundraiser/3251995

I’m passionate to work for my company, Illumina, with their mission statement “to improve human health by unlocking the power of the genome.” In 2016, Illumina launched GRAIL Inc., a spin-off venture “to detect cancer early, when it can be cured” using focused and sensitive sequencing techniques. In 2016, the Founder and CEO of GRAIL, Jeff Huber, gave a commencement speach detailing his passion to “find a better way” for cancer detection. As I mentioned, everyone has a story, his is very inspirational. I love this speach, you can watch it HERE, I wrote about it earlier this year.

How does this all tie together? Cancer awareness has not faded in my life. I’ve worn the reminder on my wrist for 13 years. Now, I have an opportunity to raise funds through my company (Illumina is providing a corporate 1:1 match) for an organization in my new community, San Diego. Also, this Padres Pedal the Cause event is extra special because ALL overhead costs are covered by sponsorship, which enables a 100% model for donations. Very few fundraising efforts have a 100% model, to put it another way, every penny goes directly to help local San Diego cancer research. (This means they’ll even invite you to pay the credit card transaction percentage fee). I will continue to provide updates with details and statistics on the Padres Pedal the Cause mission in the coming weeks via my social media and my website with the #PadresPedal tag. it’s a great program, I encourage you to read more at the Padres Pedal the Cause Website.

I signed up for a 55-mile ride with a pledge goal of $750. The event is November 16^th and I’m excited for both the mileage and the pledge goal!! I invite you to give as generously as you can.

Please be as generous as you can, but if you’d like guidance, I’m aiming for 75 unique donors to each donate $10. Regardless of your gift, I will donate $1 per unique donor (up to $250). To each contributor, I promise to make a personal video to share publicly, thanking you for your participation! It will be similar to THIS VIDEO format (above)! I’ll release videos through YouTube and post links to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and stevenmgruber.com to share the excitement and gratitude!

Thanks in advance for extending cancer awareness with whatever you can give. Consider sharing this fundraiser to others by sharing this link: https://support.gopedal.org/fundraiser/3251995

If you’re an Illumina employee, please use the Benevity program to ADDITIONALLY MATCH your donation dollar for dollar (up to $500)! Click HERE to learn more. Thanks!

 

Updates on 9-MAY-2021:

• Links to current fundraising profile
• Benevity Program increased from $250 match to $500