PARIS, Jul 25 (MARKET WIRE) —
Throughout the 2010 cycling season, LIVESTRONG and its partners have
raised awareness of the world’s cancer burden and the people fighting
against the disease. In a show of solidarity with the unified global
movement against cancer and LIVESTRONG, today Team RadioShack dedicated
Stage 20 of the Tour de France to the 28 million people around the world
living with cancer. Team RadioShack’s Tour de France grand finale marks
the culmination of a season dedicated to the global cancer community with
the goal of inspiring more people to take action in the fight against
cancer.
During the 2010 cycling season, Lance Armstrong, LIVESTRONG founder and
chairman, cancer survivor and champion cyclist, and the members of Team
RadioShack honored everyday heroes in the fight against cancer through “I
RIDE FOR LIVESTRONG,” an initiative of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer
Campaign. For 12 days in May and during the Amgen Tour of California,
LIVESTRONG played host to “I RIDE FOR LIVESTRONG,” an interactive online
game that allowed participants to ride for a loved one affected by
cancer. Supporters created their own bike and encouraged their friends to
“cheer” them on by joining the cause and ordering stickers and water
bottles benefitting LIVESTRONG from Trek. The top racers with the most
“cheers” won spots for their “I RIDE FOR” dedication stickers on Team
RadioShack bikes during the world’s premier cycling event. Team
RadioShack has collectively pedaled 20,367 miles over the past three
weeks to tell these stories of hope, courage and determination.
“Throughout the Tour de France, Team RadioShack’s bikes have carried the
names of people touched by cancer in order to honor them and the people
who love them,” said Armstrong. “Today, we’re riding for every one of the
28 million people all over the world whose lives and families are
affected by this disease.”
“Cancer will become the world’s leading cause of death this year and we
must do more to turn that tide and support people fighting for their
lives,” said LIVESTRONG president and CEO Doug Ulman. “Team RadioShack
has drawn worldwide attention to a disease too often dismissed as
unbeatable and we are grateful for their unified demonstration of
heroism.”
On behalf of LIVESTRONG, Team RadioShack collaborated with partners
RadioShack, Giro, Nike and Trek to compete against the worldwide cancer
burden, a disease that claims eight million lives around the world
annually.
“The Shack’s partnership with Lance Armstrong has always been about more
than cycling. It’s about engaging our customers and more than 35,000
associates in the global fight against cancer,” said Lee Applbaum,
RadioShack’s chief marketing officer. “We understand that for 28 million
people around the world, the race is not over.”
“Lance has dominated the Tour so completely over the past 12 years and he
has done so much to help those battling cancer around the world, that
doing a totally unique helmet for him and the RadioShack team to honor
work and his last day in the Tour de France was both a pleasure and an
honor,” said Chuck Plat, Giro Senior Sports Marketing Manager. “We can’t
say thanks enough to Lance and hope to continue to back him in his
efforts to battle cancer.”
“Creating the UNITY bikes to help Lance and the team raise awareness of
the global cancer epidemic has been a process that has touched a lot of
people here at Trek,” said Dean Gore, Trek’s Director of Marketing.
“We’re proud to continue to help LIVESTRONG fight cancer by offering this
same paint scheme to riders the world over through our Project One
program with proceeds benefiting this amazing organization.”
“As Lance completes his final Tour de France, we celebrate his amazing
record of seven wins and the determination he’s displayed throughout this
year’s race,” said Simon Nicholls, Nike Brand Manager for LIVESTRONG. “We
are proud his commitment to the global cancer fight will continue well
beyond competition to help inspire and improve the lives of the millions
of people affected by this terrible disease.”
The support of these partners has made it possible for LIVESTRONG’s
footprint at the Tour to have maximum impact. In particular, Nike’s
“Chalkbot” and international expansion of the LIVESTRONG collection
beyond the United States to Canada, France and the United Kingdom served
as key drivers in helping LIVESTRONG further its mission and spread
awareness about the global cancer burden. Since 2004, Nike has helped
LIVESTRONG raise more than $80 million. Throughout the Tour de France,
proceeds of Nike’s sale of 130,000 LIVESTRONG wristbands will benefit
France’s La League contre le cancer and their work on behalf of cancer
survivors.
About the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign
In September 2008,
LIVESTRONG announced its commitment to making cancer a global priority at
the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York. LIVESTRONG made
this commitment after its worldwide research, conducted over 18 months,
revealed widespread misconceptions, stigma and lack of awareness
associated with cancer and recognized an immediate need to address this
global epidemic. In response, the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign was
established.
In 2009, LIVESTRONG launched the first-ever unified global movement
against cancer by urging world leaders, leading cancer organizations and
cancer survivors to join its effort. After traveling to Australia,
Mexico, Italy, Monaco, France and Ireland in its inaugural year, the
LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign achieved significant results generating
more than 300 commitments to the fight against cancer. These commitments
represent work in more than 60 countries around the world and an
investment in cancer control of more than $200 million in year one alone.
In 2010, LIVESTRONG is continuing its trail-blazing efforts to reduce the
burden of cancer by tackling the stigma that the surrounds the disease.
The Global Campaign launched in South Africa in March with a visit from
Armstrong to fellow cancer survivors at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape
Town and activities began in earnest in May with anti-stigma efforts and
the Survivorship Empowerment Initiative.
About LIVESTRONG
Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist
Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG fights for the 28
million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG
connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and
resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive
social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG’s
mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer. For more
information, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.
About Giro Sport Design
Giro(R), based in Scotts Valley, CA, is a
worldwide leader in the design, development and marketing of premium,
high-performance protective gear and accessories for action sports and
active lifestyles. We are an innovative and consumer-focused brand, with
a mission to create products on the leading edge of inspired design that
help you to look and feel your best.
About NIKE, Inc.
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the
world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic
footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports
and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan,
which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags,
accessories and coats; Converse Inc., which designs, markets and
distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Hurley
International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports
and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Umbro Ltd., a
leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand. For more
information, visit www.nikebiz.com.
About RadioShack Corporation
RadioShack is a leading national retailer
of innovative mobile technology products and services, as well as
products related to personal and home technology and power supply needs.
The Shack(R) offers consumers a targeted assortment of wireless phones
and other electronic products and services from leading national brands,
exclusive private brands and major wireless carriers, all within a
comfortable and convenient shopping environment. RadioShack employs
approximately 35,000 people globally, including a team of friendly and
helpful sales experts who are recognized for delivering the best customer
service in the wireless industry. RadioShack’s retail network includes
4,680 company-operated stores in the United States and Mexico, more than
550 wireless phone kiosks in the United States, and approximately 1,300
dealer outlets worldwide. For more information on RadioShack Corporation,
please visit www.radioshackcorporation.com; to purchase items online,
please visit www.radioshack.com. The Shack is a registered trademark of
RadioShack Corporation.
About Trek
Trek Bicycle is a global leader in the design and manufacture
of bicycles and bicycling related products and accessories. From Tour de
France-winning road bikes to tricycles designed to introduce the next
generation of riders to the possibilities of pedal-power, Trek has a bike
for nearly every rider. Trek believes the bicycle can be a simple
solution to many of the world’s most complex problems, including obesity,
traffic congestion, and climate change, and is committed to breaking down
the barriers that prevent people from using bicycles more often for daily
transportation, recreation, and inspiration. For more information about
Trek, visit www.trekbikes.com.
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Contact:
Rae Bazzarre
(512) 279-8367
press@livestrong.org
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