Help fight cancer by racking up kilometres!

Help fight cancer by racking up kilometres! (CNW Group/Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie de l'Université de Montréal)

Ride on the pros' circuit on the very morning of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal during the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer

MONTREAL, Aug. 30, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - On Sunday morning, September 10th, the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer invite you to ride on the pros' circuit of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal prior to the UCI WorldTour race, while doing your part for research!

The IRIC Great Challenges are organized by the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Université de Montréal, which is honoured by the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal's support, providing participants with this exclusive access to a professional circuit.

An event open to all

Whether going solo, with a team, family members or friends, the IRIC Great Challenges offer various sporting activities suited to all tastes. In addition to cycling, participants can choose to sign up for a 5 or 10k run as well as a 5k walk, all held on Mount Royal, and afterwards, stay on site to encourage the WorldTour racers.

A challenge in support of tomorrow's scientists

The amount raised will go towards the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer Fund which aims, among other things, to fund two merit scholarship programs designed to recruit and train the best young researchers. Since 2009, the Fund has sponsored more than 200 scholarships for a total value of close to 2 million dollars.

Dominique Perras, 2017 edition official spokesperson

Former professional cyclist Dominique Perras has joined the cause as official spokesperson for the 8^th edition of the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer. A member of the national road cycling team from 1992 to 2008, he was the Canadian champion in 2003 as well as a member of Swiss, Australian and American professional teams from 1999 to 2007.

In addition to his stellar track record, his association with the event and his commitment to the cause are all the more natural given that he lost his first cycling coach, Richard Michaud, to cancer. "It gives me great pleasure to partner with the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer and to encourage the Institute, a key player in the fight against cancer, with its research efforts."

An inspiring creator

The IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer Fund, as well as this event, is an initiative of Dr. Robert Patenaude. While a medical student at the Université de Montréal, Dr. Patenaude was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, an incurable cancer at the time. With only a few months left to live, he was offered a new treatment in the experimental stage which would ultimately cure him. The scientist behind this medical breakthrough is Dr. Claude Perreault, principal investigator at the IRIC and one of the Institute's founders. As one of the first bone marrow transplant recipients in Canada and a witness to the momentous impact of research, Dr. Patenaude is committed to supporting research against cancer through sports. He is an emergency physician at the Centre hospitalier Honoré‑Mercier in Saint‑Hyacinthe.

Our valuable partners

The IRIC would like to acknowledge the support of its partners for the 2017 edition of the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer: the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery, the Université de Montréal, Gran Fondo Éco, and the Défis du Parc national de la Mauricie.

To register or make a donation Please visit iricgreatchallenges.ca

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About the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer Fund
Established in 2009, the IRIC Great Challenges Against Cancer Fund aims to fund, among other things, two program scholarships to recruit and train the best young scientists in cancer research from around the world. The IRIC Next Generation Internship Awards are intended for undergraduate students who wish to do an internship at the IRIC so as to pursue graduate studies. The Perseverance Awards are for graduate level students in systems biology, alternating between theoretical learning and practical applications. 

About the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC)
An ultra-modern research hub and training centre located in the heart of the Université de Montréal, the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer was created in 2003 to shed light on the mechanisms of cancer and discover new, more effective therapies to counter this disease. The IRIC operates according to a model that is unique in Canada. Its innovative approach to research has already led to discoveries that will, over the coming years, have a significant impact on the fight against cancer. For more information: www.iric.ca/en/

SOURCE Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie de l'Université de Montréal

or interviews: Catherine Cardinal, Chief, Communication and media relations, 514 343-6111, ext. 41299, [email protected]; Hélène Lapointe, Advisor, Communication and media relations, 514 343-6111, ext. 30056, [email protected]; Cristina Annunzi, Advisor, Communication and media relations, 514 343-7283, [email protected]

Related Links

www.iric.ca