ST. LOUIS – In merely four years, Pedal the Cause has donated more than $6.6 million to Siteman Cancer Center and St. Louis Children’s Hospital to advance cancer research. This triumph has elevated Pedal the Cause to the single highest-grossing athletic-fundraising event in the region, but they’re not stopping there. With an ambitious 2014 goal of $3 million, Pedal the Cause has launched a new commercial that will undoubtedly transform the way people think about cyclists.
While the commercial’s primary goal is to create awareness and drive registration for Pedal the Cause weekend scheduled to take place in downtown St. Louis on September 27 & 28, 2014, the underlying message is not lost on the audience.
The spot opens on a cyclist riding through the streets of downtown St. Louis. In the 60 second version of the commercial, you can hear a person shout, “Get off the road.” Cut to a woman carrying her bike up the stairs to her front porch. She sets her bike down and takes off her helmet, revealing that she has no hair — undeniably a side effect of chemotherapy. As she walks in to her home, her husband looks up and shoots her a bright smile. Just as her young daughter runs over to greet her with a great big hug, the voiceover says, “I don’t ride to get in the way… I’m paving a new one.”
“Cycling is a rapidly growing sport in St. Louis with more and more people using it as a form of exercise, a mode of transportation, and a means to make a difference in the community,” said Jay Indovino, executive director for Pedal the Cause. “The majority of St. Louis cyclists are raising millions of dollars, not only for cancer research but other local charities as well. We hope this commercial will transform the way people look at cyclists.”
There have been ongoing debates over cyclists on the road for many years, and there are some wonderful organizations working to make St. Louis a safe place for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. Coincidently, the release of the Pedal the Cause 2014 commercial comes amid the rise of a heated cyclist versus motorist media frenzy involving an elected official.
“Many local cyclists are currently training for Pedal the Cause weekend or another charity ride. In order to ensure their safety it is crucial that both cyclists and motorist follow the rules of the road,” said Indovino. “Our message is clear. Pedal the Cause cyclists are raising funds to end cancer — all cancers, for everyone. The next cyclist you see could be raising money for cancer research that could ultimately save your life.”
Watch the new Pedal the Cause commercial and help create a world without cancer at pedalthecause.org.
