Lance Armstrong isn't the only bicyclist who can bring out the fans to raise money for cancer.
Actor Patrick Dempsey of the TV series “Grey's Anatomy” sponsored the Dempsey Challenge charity bike ride in Lewiston, Maine, last weekend, near his hometown of Buckfield. The event raised nearly $1 million.
After his mother was treated for ovarian cancer at the Central Maine Medical Center, the actor founded the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing in Lewiston. The center provides free support, education and wellness services to cancer patients and caregivers.
Dempsey said he needed to raise operating funds for the center, so he chose the bicycle as a vehicle for his event. Isn't it great to see celebrities raising money for worthwhile causes from the seat of a bicycle?
The first-ever Dempsey Challenge was presidented by Tour of California sponsor Amgen, which also supported the LiveStrong Challenges in Seattle, San Jose, Philadelphia this year, as well as the upcoming Ride for the Roses later this month in Austin.
Bike rides could choose between hilly 10-, 20-, 50- or 100-mile routes in rural Maine. There also was a 3.1-mile run-walk. Dempsey chose the 50-mile ride.
Pro cyclists Dave Zabriskie and George Hincapie rode, as did cyclists from 32 states.
The Maine Outdoor Journal reports that the actor wants the Dempsey Challenge to become an annual event that includes a bike race, mountain bike trail rides and road rides along the coast.
Video above shows scenes from the Dempsey Challenge, including his finish with Hincapie and others.
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