BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's been 322 days since the last Ride for Roswell — the last one was delayed a few months due to the pandemic. Now that masks are off and COVID-19 vaccines are available, things are back to normal for the 27th annual ride, a beloved Buffalo tradition since 1996.
"We have been anxiously awaiting this, the whole ride community has. Everyone is so excited to see each other, be a part of something bigger than themselves, and just feel the community together," said Andrea Gregory, director of special events for the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation.
Over the years more than 120,000 riders have collectively covered nearly 4 million miles throughout Western New York and Canada. There are eight routes this year, ranging from 3 miles to 100 miles. All routes start and end at UB's North Campus.
There are more than 800 teams of family members, friends, coworkers, and community groups ranging in size from two up to 201. They help bring in more than 80% of the money that's raised.
This year alone more than $5 million has been collected from 7,600 different riders, and that money fuels the latest research and treatment to save lives.
The final amount raised, announced Saturday afternoon, was $5.6 million.
"No matter if you're grieving a loved one, if you're celebrating that you're done with your treatment, whatever your connection is to cancer we all come together as a community," said Maryann Salvadore, a cancer patient.
In total, $65 million has been raised for Roswell, which is supporting more than 46,000 active patients right now from 41 states and four foreign countries.
This year, more than 700 riders are cancer patients or survivors, and almost 4,000 riders are riding in honor or memory or someone in their life that's had cancer.
"My Uncle Mark. My Grandfather. My other grandmother," said rider Bradley Kozuch.
That's more than half of the riders that have a direct connection to cancer.
And don't forget the more than 26,000 people that have volunteered their time over the years. This event couldn't happen without them.
"It's so powerful, it's so uplifting, you're going to cry, you're going to hug people," Salvadore said.
The Ride for Roswell is a massive effort involving tens of thousands of people, pedaling forward with one goal in mind: finding a cure for cancer.