HOUSTON –Bikers Against Breast Cancer continued to break records as this year’s Mother’s Day weekend ride saw more than 700 participants net $100,820 for Young Women’s Services at The Rose.
One hundred volunteers and 629 registered participants took part in the 6th annual event, making it the largest crowd gathered to date to raise money for the nonprofit breast health organization that serves both insured and uninsured women in the Houston area and 25 counties. This is the first year the volunteer-led committee surpassed the $100,000 mark, bringing its total contributions to date to more than $350,000.
Immediately upon hearing the news of the record-breaking numbers, Committee Chair D’Etta Casto-DeLeon, Assistant Vice President at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, wrote the volunteers and staff who had helped make the day possible via a silent and live auction, sponsorships, and individual fundraising.
“I cannot thank each of you enough for all of your hard work and dedication,” she told the group. “We are successful because of you. Seeing these outstanding figures and knowing what it will do is why each of you do what you do each year with the goal of making it bigger and better.”
The focus of this year’s fundraising efforts centered around the growing need to cover the cost of screenings and services for women under 40 – a population often not covered by traditional funding sources.
According to Dorothy Gibbons, the CEO and Co-Founder of The Rose, young women represent the most underserved breast cancer population. Since just under 7% of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years old, most state and national funding focuses on women above the 40 year mark. Often young women have been told that they were “too young for a mammogram.”
“But they are not too young for breast cancer. Nearly 1/5th of the women we diagnose each year are under 40.” notes Gibbons who has maintained The Rose’s commitment to serving all women – regardless of age and ability to pay – since founding the organization with Dr. Dixie Melillo in 1986.
Gibbons, Melillo and Casto-DeLeon joined six Women of The Rose on stage Saturday to underscore the value of fundraising efforts like the BABC. Each of the six represented some aspect of the ride:
- Janet Slocum of La Porte and co-owner of sponsoring Second Chance Saloon represented the many generous sponsors who contributed nearly $56,000 to the total amount earned. Janet and husband Bobby have now raised $35,000 in their two years of serving as the kickoff event for the annual BABC ride.
- Barbara Burcham of Cypress has ridden in the BABC for four years and last year discovered she too had breast cancer. She rode this year with a “new perspective.”
- Tonia Cloninger of Pasadena, another BABC rider and survivor who found her cancer at 40 years of age, recognized the many survivors who attended the event. Tonia’s friends and family helped provide many of the signs used at six stations spaced along the route that helped tell the story of The Rose.
- And three women giving the “face” to the Young Women’s Services to which this year’s funds will be directed – Elizabeth Stokes (Baytown) who discovered her breast cancer as a 21-year-old young mother; Kay King (Woodville) who was 38 years old and pregnant when her cancer was discovered at The Rose, and Jane Thomas (Alvin) who is 32 years old and about to undergo reconstructive surgery.
As the event continued to be celebrated throughout the weekend on social media, Kay King, who brought son Wyatt on stage with her during the post-ride presentation, shared via Facebook, “Thank you for the opportunity to give back. Having cancer was a horrible thing but being able to participate in things like this and meet so many inspiring ladies causes for an understanding about life and love that you can only attain by going through it. My heart is still full & tender as I continue to think of how The Rose helped save mine and my unborn child’s life. I am literally alive because they helped me so quickly.”
Other highlights included participants’ interactions with San Jacinto Harley Davidson staff as they combined the ride with their annual open house and helped make possible entertainment by The Slags. Dean & Rog of Houston’s Classic Rock kicked off the day with Outlaw Dave of KPRC AM950 assuming emcee duties after the ride. Local favorite Bear Hebert ensured that the live auction brought in over $7,500.
For the second year, individual fundraising was encouraged. Committee member Mechelle Dockall was recognized for exceeding her goal by raising $6,075. Also recognized at the event was Dr. Amy McDaniel of McWellness Health Care whose motorcycle received the most votes in the Bike Contest. When Dr. McDaniel received the trophy, she noted that her entry was in memory of her friend Rhonda Brown who recently passed away as the result of breast cancer. Dr. McDaniel then donated the prize money back to The Rose.
Joining Second Chance Saloon as major sponsors of the event were Twin Peaks, San Jacinto Harley-Davidson, The Eagle 106.9 & 107.5, JG Homes, US Development Group, and Jackie’s Brickhouse.
Photo: The Women of The Rose – all survivors – allowed their stories to be shared in the weeks leading up to the ride. On May 10th, they “put a face” to the issues surrounding young women’s need for access to care and various aspects of the BABC effort. Back row: Committee Chair D’Etta Casto-DeLeon, Kay King, Tonia Cloninger, Janet Slocum, The Rose CEO Dorothy Gibbons. Front row: Jane Thomas, Barbara Burcham, Elizabeth Stokes. PHOTO CREDIT: Breakaway Photography
For more photos from Breakaway Photography, click here. For additional photos, click here.
