Padres Pedal the Cause Is Now Curebound Cancer Challenge, Kicks Off with $1.1 Million Philanthropic Gift as Organization Doubles Down on Mission to End Cancer

Curebound Cancer Challenge invites those up to the challenge to unite, ride, spin, run, walk along beautiful San Diego coastal courses to raise funds to support innovative cancer research with one vision: cures in our lifetime

Curebound launched its new Curebound Cancer Challenge today. An evolution of Curebound’s renowned Padres Pedal the Cause event, Curebound Cancer Challenge represents a new and elevated fundraising challenge experience. It aims to increase community participation and accelerate Curebound toward its goal of investing $100 million in cancer research through collaborative grants, public/private partnerships and targeted investments that are anchored in San Diego, with the potential to spread nationally through scientific collaborations.

Over the past 10 years, Curebound’s signature community event, Padres Pedal the Cause, has brought together 20,000+ people during one of the largest cancer research fundraising events on the West Coast to raise $24.5 million. Building on this strong foundation, Curebound is raising the stakes on its fundraising goals, moving the event to UC San Diego, and inviting more people to ride, run, walk, spin, volunteer and donate on August 2, 2025, to advance cancer research. Register for Curebound Cancer Challenge HERE.

Situated in La Jolla among numerous world-renowned research organizations and Curebound research partner institutions — Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego, Salk Institute, Sanford Burnham Prebys, Rady Children’s Hospital, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and Scripps Research — the UC San Diego site for Curebound Cancer Challenge will put a spotlight on the San Diego scientific community that has made tremendous strides in the race to find cures for cancer as Curebound presents an enhanced fundraising event experience.

Curebound Cancer Challenge will feature three world-class rides along San Diego’s Torrey Pines coastline, a family friendly 5K, a new 10K run, 50-minute spin classes, entertainment, family activities and a team village where Curebound Cancer Challenge teams can gather, honor loved ones battling cancer, and celebrate their fundraising to put an end to cancer.

A generous donor has kicked off fundraising for the event with a $1.1 million lead gift.

Pedal the Cause San Diego was founded by Bill Koman, CEO, Koman Group, Curebound Chairman, a two-time lymphoma survivor, and his wife Amy. Grateful for the life-saving care Bill received, the Koman family is committed to ensuring the same outcome for others. In 2013, Pedal the Cause began at UC San Diego with a few hundred riders committed to supporting cancer patients and their families. In a partnership with the San Diego Padres, the event moved to Petco Park in 2016 and became known as Padres Pedal the Cause. The San Diego Padres have been dedicated Curebound partners, providing unwavering support. Since then, the event has grown significantly, raising $24.5 million.

Executive Vice President at the San Diego Padres Tom Seidler says, “The Padres have been honored to partner with Pedal the Cause and host this incredible community at Petco Park through seven years of tremendous growth, community building, and impact. We look forward to supporting the Curebound Cancer Challenge as it advances the organization’s mission to raise funds and invest in innovative cancer research.”

“We are excited to welcome the Curebound Cancer Challenge to its new home at UC San Diego,” said John M. Carethers, MD, Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences at UC San Diego. “Curebound funds important cancer research that is relevant to our institution — including our NCI-designated Moores Cancer Center — as well as other institutions on the Torrey Pines Mesa, and we look forward to being an integral part of its continued growth and success towards prevention and finding treatments for cancer.”

Curebound Cancer Challenge is attracting corporate support as well. Sponsors include Edward Jones San Diego, UC San Diego, Janux Therapeutics, Vividion Therapeutics, JP Morgan, Lusardi Construction, Jet AMG, Pfizer, Corza Health, WE Oneil Construction, and Bernstein Private Wealth Management.

Victor Manzanilla, Edward Jones Financial Advisor and Cancer Challenge Team Captain, says, “Cancer touches so many families, we are thrilled to be part of raising funds needed to accelerate studies that will get us closer to a cure. We’re looking forward to riding as Team Edward Jones in August.”

For more information about supporting Curebound Cancer Challenge, email Liz DeGeronimo at liz@curebound.org.

Register for Curebound Cancer Challenge at https://www.curebound.org/curebound-cancer-challenge.

About Curebound

Curebound is a philanthropic organization that invests in cancer research with the power to save lives. Through collaborative grants, corporate partnerships, and strategic investments, Curebound’s aim is to significantly accelerate better prevention, detection, and treatments for cancer. Headquartered in the major U.S. biotech hub of San Diego, amid 3,000+ life sciences companies, leading health systems, and world-class research institutions, Curebound partners with these organizations to forge interdisciplinary collaboration, foster knowledge sharing, and fund pioneering cancer research. So far, Curebound has funded $37+ million in cancer research, awarding 123 study grants for 17 types of pediatric and adult cancers with one vision: cures in our lifetime. Join us - www.curebound.org.

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