60,000+ cyclists and some of the top names in sport and entertainment are expected to join an exciting virtual bike ride on ZWIFT this World Cancer Day (4th February) to increase awareness about cancer and help prevent millions of people from dying prematurely from the disease.
Celebrities including Mo Farah (4x Olympic Gold medallist), Robert Pirès (Football – World & European Champion), Lawrence Dellaglio (Rugby – Six Nations & World Cup Winner), Diangelo Williams (US Football/NFL Player), Mike Peters (UK Singer), and many more will kick off the World Cancer Day Solidarity Challenge on 4th February, competing in a race that will be broadcast worldwide.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted cancer services and cancer organisations in many countries, the need for life-saving treatments and care remains as acute as ever. The latest estimates indicate that people dying prematurely from cancer has risen to 10 million in 2020 alone.
To raise much-needed funds for the global fight against cancer, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the largest and oldest global membership organisation dedicated to the fight against cancer, has teamed up with the international sports marketing agency ORSEN SA and with ZWIFT, a provider of a virtual cycling platform with over two million registered subscribers from 195 countries.
Together, UICC and ORSEN have created the World Cancer Day Solidarity Challenge that will be hosted on the ZWIFT platform.
“Confronted with the unique crisis of the coronavirus pandemic, the inspiring progress that has been made in cancer prevention and treatment is at risk. If we want to see the cancer burden reduced – not increased – in the coming years, we need to act urgently. The World Cancer Day Solidarity Challenge is a unique opportunity to bring people on board who want to help us make a difference.”
– Dr Cary Adams, CEO of UICC
Six different starting times staggered across time zones from Australasia to the Americas will allow participants from across the globe to join in. Each ride will be 45 minutes long. Participants will be able to compare their time with that of their favourite celebrity who competed in the celebrity race.
Registration for the World Cancer Day Solidarity Challenge is free, so UICC will be counting on participants’ and the public’s generous donations. All funds will go to UICC in support of the global cancer community. UICC has 1,200 member organisations representing almost every country in the world, and helps them urge their respective governments to take action and ensure that comprehensive cancer programmes and services are a national priority. It also offers international fellowships, training courses, master courses, webinars and a portfolio of online and offline resources on cancer control.
“Solidarity Challenge is Orsen’s plug-and-play solution for charities and foundations that unite communities to raise awareness and donations for humanitarian and environmental causes. We are delighted to partner with Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in support of the global fight against cancer.”
– Sean O’Reilly, CEO, ORSEN SA
OFFICIAL PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
Official Partners:
• IWC Schaffhausen as official timing partner – discover IWC sustainability program click here
• Wahoo Fitness as official indoor training partner – www.wahoofitness.com
Official Supporters:
• ZWIFT as official digital training partner – www.zwift.com
• Le Col as official cycling apparel supporter – www.lecol.cc
WHAT IS WORLD CANCER DAY?
Led by UICC, World Cancer Day unites the world every 4th February to help save millions of lives by raising public awareness, improving education and inspiring positive action from governments, businesses and individuals. 2021 will be led by the campaign theme ‘I Am and I Will’: a reminder that each person has a role in reducing the impact of cancer and that, together, all of our actions matter. World Cancer Day inspires thousands of activities all over the world and has globally trended on Twitter for the past three years.
WHAT IS SOLIDARITY CHALLENGE?
Solidarity Challenge is a branded initiative created by Orsen SA to steer and run digital and/or e-sports challenges on existing platforms (video games, Zwift, …) and/or physical activation to develop fundraising and new revenues streams capitalizing on celebrity’s amplification power.
WHAT IS UICC?
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is the largest and oldest international cancer-fighting organisation. Founded in Geneva in 1933, UICC has over 1,200 member organisations in more than 170 countries and over 50 partners, including associations, companies and foundations committed to the fight against cancer. UICC’s mission is to both unite and support the cancer community in its efforts to reduce the global cancer burden, promote greater equity and ensure that cancer control remains a priority on the global health and development agenda.
WHAT IS ZWIFT?
Zwift is the indoor training phenomenon taking the world by storm. An online platform helping everyone meet their fitness goals while having tons of fun along the way. Engaging gameplay meets fitness meets a global community of cyclists and runners. The result? Serious training made fun.
Meet new friends. Make new rivals. Ride up mountains. Run through jungles. Sprint through real roads made virtual or cruise across futuristic cities. Fun, flexible year-round training becomes the new normal with Zwift.
MORE INFORMATION
More information on Solidarity Challenge
Website: www.solidaritychallenge.org
PR & General Enquiries: info@solidaritychallenge.org
Broadcast Enquiries: media@solidaritychallenge.org
Sponsorship Enquiries: sponsorship@solidaritychallenge.org
More information on the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and World Cancer Day
Website: www.uicc.org and www.worldcancerday.org
PR & General Enquiries: Eric Grant / grant@uicc.org
Sponsorship Enquiries: Lorenzo Boffi / boffi@uicc.org