Event to place major emphasis on dollars for medical research

Farmington, Conn.:  Beginning in May of 2015, Coach Jim Calhoun will be hosting a signature event for UConn Health called the Jim Calhoun Ride and Walk for Lifesaving Research and Care.  The official date for the event is May 30th.

Coach and the UConn Foundation have taken this step because federal and state dollars, as well as corporate support for important, cutting edge medical research and care, has been declining for years. This event, known formerly as the Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride and Walk, is being created by Coach and the University to raise dollars specifically for the advanced medical research and care taking place at UConn Health.

“Giving UConn Health’s talented researchers and staff the tools they need to conduct cutting-edge research and provide exceptional care is one of our top priorities,” President Susan Herbst said. “We’re grateful to Coach Calhoun for partnering with us on this important endeavor, and we encourage the entire UConn community to get involved.”

The 2015 Jim Calhoun Ride and Walk for Lifesaving Research and Care will take place on May 30th and will start and finish at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford.  The event will feature rides of 12, 36 and 60 miles and a 5K walk, and as the day ends, there will be a celebratory cookout for all participants. Ninety cents of every dollar contributed by riders and walkers and their supporters will go directly to the cause and every UConn Health department will be eligible to receive funds raised annually by this event.

“For years, Coach Calhoun has been a leader in efforts to raise funds for the important work of UConn Health,” said Josh Newton, president of the UConn Foundation. “This new event will allow us to raise millions of dollars for one of the premier healthcare institutions in America.”

Coach Calhoun is seeking teams as well as individual riders and walkers from throughout the University community and from every corner of the state.

All funds raised by the Jim Calhoun Ride and Walk for Lifesaving Research and Care will benefit the UConn Health Research and Discovery Fund—a fund to support research aimed at curing disease and improving human health.

To register to ride or to walk, please visit www.calhounride.com or call (860) 674-1500.

UConn Health includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Home to Bioscience Connecticut, UConn Health pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service.