TAMPA, Fla. — A couple dozen Tampa-area cyclists are pedaling their way up to Tallahassee to raise awareness about cancer prevention. This is Cure on Wheels' 13th annual Capitol Ride, which advocates for more funding for cancer research and patient services at Moffitt Cancer Center.

What You Need To Know

  •  Participants will bike 325 miles from Tampa to Tallahasee over the course of four days

  •  On Wednesday, cyclists will lobby at the Capitol for additional funding towards cancer research and patient services

  •  This is the 13th Capitol Ride put on by Cure on Wheels, a Tampa Bay nonprofit

Cyclists began their journey on Sunday morning. They will stop in Ocala and Lake City, before reaching the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday. For many participants, the cause is personal - whether they are a caregiver, have lost someone to cancer or are a survivor.

When Joshua Rivera was 27 years old, he was diagnosed with stage four Ewing’s sarcoma and told he had a 15% chance of surviving. The following two years would consist of 1,100 hours of chemotherapy, two dozen radiation treatments and six surgeries.

“No matter what age you are - but in this case I was 27 - and in my mind, I had these things I wanted to accomplish in my life: family and children and travel the world,” Rivera said. “It really makes you appreciate things differently.”

After going through cancer, Rivera wanted to give back to the community. He now works for the Moffitt Cancer Center and competes in long-distance events like the Capitol Ride.

“It’s a ride, it’s not a race,” he said. “It’s a camaraderie, a brotherhood, a sisterhood of like-minded individuals who cancer changed everyone’s life in this group. We all want to give back and we all want to support the cause.”

Since its start in 2007, Cure on Wheels has donated more than $1 million to programs throughout Tampa Bay that support cancer patients and their families. After going through treatment for a rare form of leukemia, Richard Spayde, president of Cure on Wheels, wanted to help people in their time of need.

“Hopefully nobody ever hears the words ‘you have cancer,’ Spayde said. “But if they do, how wonderful is it that we have Moffitt Cancer Center right here locally? While they’ve come a long way in treating cancer, we still need to keep pushing as hard as we can to get the resources that we need, so if somebody does hear those words, they can find a cure.”

The cyclists are expected to arrive at the Capitol on Wednesday for Moffitt Day, where they’ll lobby in front of lawmakers for more funding towards cancer research and patient services. Ultimately, participants hope one day a cure for cancer is found.

“We’re like one big family here at Cure on Wheels here in Tampa,” River said. “As of right now, we have some of our family members actually actively going through cancer right now. They’re in our thoughts and prayers and we ride for them.”