The first Courage Ride was held in southeast Iowa in 2005 to honor the memory of Seth Bailey, who passed away after a battle with soft-tissue synovial sarcoma cancer. Twenty years later the ride has raised over $865,000 for sarcoma cancer research. Proceeds have seeded numerous research grants for the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the event has become a hub for sarcoma patients, survivors, family members, researchers and doctors to form lasting memories and friendships.
The 20th Courage Ride will take place in and around Iowa City on August 10th. On this episode, Talk of Iowa host Charity Nebbe first speaks with Payton Pekarek, this year's patient honoree. Pekarek was diagnosed with high-grade osteosarcoma in 2022. While undergoing knee replacement surgery and chemotherapy, she graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, and will enroll in graduate school this fall to be a child life specialist.
Courage Ride founder Jackie Bailey and volunteer director Leora Houghton join the program to talk about the evolution of the bicycle ride, and UI researcher Dr. Ben Miller shares more about sarcoma and how the Courage Ride has impacted research and treatment for the rare cancer.
Guests:
- Payton Pekarek, 2024 Courage Ride patient honoree
- Jackie Bailey, founder and board chair, Courage Ride
- Leora Houghton, director, Courage Ride
- Dr. Ben Miller, board medical adviser, Courage Ride, and professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation, UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
