BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 26th Ride for Roswell kicked off Friday and continued on Saturday when thousands of cyclists came together to raise money for the cancer center.
The fundraising for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center paid off once again, with $4.9 million raised, just shy of their $5 million goal.
Since 1996, more than $60 million has been raised for cancer research and treatment programs for cancer patients.
More than 6,000 riders joined together in the fight against cancer at four locations across Western New York on Saturday. The locations included the University at Buffalo, Niagara County Community College, Grand Island, and the Buffalo Outer Harbor.
"Hopefully by next year, we're going to get back to the ride as we know it, but at least we're here celebrating it so you can feel that emotion," said Roswell Park president and CEO Candace Johnson.
Maryann Salvadore has been riding for more than a decade. Not only is she a cancer survivor, but her friends and family have joined her at Ride for Roswell over the years because of all the people they know impacted by cancer.
"I was diagnosed in 2009 with a terminal cancer, so the amazing doctors and people at Roswell saved my life more than one time with new treatments that weren't even because of the research they were doing. They weren't even yet available," Salvadore said.
"I'm so proud to be like 'This is my team,' and these are the people who all care about Roswell, they all care about people with cancer, they all care about Western New York because all the money stays here."