Dribble for the Cure Set for Oct. 13 at UCLA
August 22, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Bruin Athletics
LOS ANGELES – Registration is NOW OPEN for the 12th annual Dribble for the Cure, set to take place Sunday, Oct. 13 at UCLA. UCLA Athletics will again team with Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) and the Cancer Research Program at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA in the pursuit to eliminate childhood cancer. Also returning this year as the Champion Sponsor is SEIA.
The 2018 Dribble for the Cure at UCLA generated $138,040 in total revenue, giving the pioneering event eight consecutive years of $100,000 or more contributed. It has brought in approximately $1.6 million total during its 11 years. Combined with the annual St. John's University event in Queens N.Y., which began in 2011, Dribble for the Cure has raised north of $2 million total across the country. Since its establishment in 1982, PCRF has raised $44 million and granted out over $34 million to research.
"For over 38 years, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation has worked strategically and diligently to eliminate childhood cancer," said PCRF Executive Director Jeri Wilson. "We exclusively target cutting-edge research, such as the breakthrough studies led by Dr. Theodore B. Moore. PCRF believes collaborations with top institutions and investigators demonstrate the best hope for a cure."
In addition to the online registration process, there are in-person and over-the-phone options available leading up to and on the day of the event. Costs are $15 for children under the age of 12 and $25 for adults, with group discounts available. For more on group rates, to register online or to learn about sponsorship and vendor opportunities, call (949) 859-6312.
Once signed up, registrants will be invited to further the cause by fundraising. In addition to funding the betterment of pediatric cancer research, individuals will be eligible for prizes that include a 2019 Dribble for the Cure basketball ($150), a UCLA hat ($350), four UCLA men's and women's basketball game tickets ($750) and a custom monogramed UCLA basketball jersey ($1,500).
There are also opportunities for team (10 participants or more) perks, including team shirts ($1,500), a team banner ($2,000) and a 10-foot-tall tear-drop banner ($2,500) that will greet Dribblers for years to come.
Drake Stadium will provide the setting for the day's initial festivities, with in-person registration, check-in and the Dribble for the Cure Festival scheduled to open at 8:30 a.m. UCLA student-athletes will welcome participants by providing giveaways and assisting in other activities, while Michael Price Family Head Basketball Coaches Cori Close and Mick Cronin's teams will sign autographs and take pictures before embarking on the approximately one-mile Dribble through campus at 10:15 a.m.
"The success of the Dribble for the Cure event makes a tremendous impact on the lives of our patients and their families through the development of new strategies to find cures for cancer such as immunotherapy and CAR T-cell therapy and by providing access to clinical trials," said Dr. Theodore B. Moore, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. "We anticipate another phenomenal event this year that mirrors the incredible participation of the men's and women's teams in engaging with the kids and teams in 2018. We are extraordinarily grateful for the support of the many individuals who plan to join us at the 12th annual Dribble for the Cure."
Dribblers will complete the course on Nell and John Wooden Court in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom, where they will be able to shoot hoops with their favorite players. Awards will be presented to top fundraisers and team captains, and the day will culminate in another opportunity for autographs.
Dribble for the Cure began in 2008, born from a vision held by UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer John Vallely, who starred on two of John Wooden's championship men's basketball teams. Vallely and his wife, Karen, lost their 12-year-old daughter, Erin, to pediatric cancer in 1992. He is still heavily involved in the event's planning and execution.
"Wow, has it really been 11 years since our first Dribble for the Cure?" Vallely reflected. "Thank you for your effort to help us conquer this terrible disease, pediatric cancer. I hope to see you on the UCLA campus on October 13th."
For more information on how to get involved, visit dribbleforthecure.com. If interested in volunteering alongside UCLA student-athletes, contact PCRF's Brooke Bain at bbain@pcrf-kids.org.
EVENT SCHEDULE
8:30 a.m. – Registration opens and Dribble for the Cure Festival opens
10 a.m. – Welcome ceremony
10:15 a.m. – Dribble course begins
11:15 a.m. – Finish-line festivities and awards at Pauley Pavilion