Empire State Ride to benefit Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Somerville, Mass. residents Anne-Fleur Andrle and Emma Flornoy will join other participants from throughout the Northeast and as far as Sant Cyr sur mer, France during the first Empire State Ride, a fully supported, seven-day, 518 mile biking adventure across New York State.

After arriving in NYC on Saturday evening, riders will depart from New York City’s Battery Park on Sunday, August 16. Overnight stops include the Hudson Valley, Albany, Utica, Syracuse and Rochester and the ride will conclude in Niagara Falls State Park on Saturday, August 22 in front of one of the natural wonders of the world. This first-time event benefits Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.

“I chose to become involved because I know people who died and are dying from cancer. I also hope to discover the beautiful New York State scenery,” said Empire State Ride participant Emma Flornoy of Somerville, Mass. near Boston, who became aware of this biking event through her friend and fellow event participant who also resides in Somerville.

This one-of-a-kind adventure offers participants a unique and awe-inspiring experience as they ride through the big city, the countryside and everything in between. As a fundraising event for Roswell Park Cancer Institute, it is also an opportunity for riders to support the fight against cancer.

Fellow Empire State Ride participant and Somerville resident, Anne-Fleur Andrle, said, “In my daily life, I work in tumor imaging research and I know how devastating cancer can be. Unfortunately, I also experienced cancer in my family and among my friends. Because of these experiences, because I want to support all these incredible fighters, and because of what I see every day in my work, I am happy to help in a meaningful way. I believe I will push my limits much further than usual. I expect to reinforce the existing bounds with my teammates and overall I hope to be able to contribute to raise awareness and funds for cancer research!”

Participants in the Empire State Ride are required to meet a minimum fundraising commitment of $3,500 per rider for the seven-day ride. In addition, a second one-day, 75 mile route from Rochester to Niagara Falls on Saturday, August 22 is also available. This part of the route will follow along the Erie Canal and continue west toward the final destination in Niagara Falls State Park. The fundraising commitment for this one-day route $750 per rider. The fundraising deadline for both routes is August 1, 2015.

There will be a limited number of riders for this first-time event, but new participants are still welcomed to register. There is a $100 registration fee for either route. More information, including how to register, how to support an existing participant’s fundraising efforts, and accommodations provided throughout the entire ride, is available online at http://www.empirestateride.com.

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The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1898, RPCI is one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org. Follow Roswell Park on Facebook and Twitter.