Rio Tinto raises $18m for cancer research

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Image credit: www.conquercancer.org.au

Leading global mining and metals company Rio Tinto has announced that its Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer has raised nearly $18 million for cancer research at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia.

Rio Tinto raises $18m for cancer research
Image credit: www.conquercancer.org.au

“We are very grateful to the passionate community of riders, volunteers, crew members, donors and sponsors like Rio Tinto who helped make the fourth annual Rio Tinto Ride To Conquer Cancer a success. One in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. The close to $18 million raised by the ride continues to power dozens of ground-breaking research programs investigating the causes of more than 13 cancers including skin, brain, colorectal, breast, ovarian, blood and lymphoma right here in Queensland,” said Professor Frank Gannon, Director of QIMR Berghofer.

80 Rio Tinto employees, their family and friends – around 1124 riders – took part as riders, crew, bike techs and volunteers in the 2014 ride, which started from The University of Queensland campus in Brisbane last Saturday. The ride raised $3.8 million for world-leading cancer research.

The inaugural event was held in 2011, when Rio managed to raise over $1 million for QIMR Berghofer and became the title sponsor of the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

“Rio Tinto is very proud to support the Ride and the talented scientists at QIMR Berghofer who are at the forefront of global cancer research. This weekend we are all riding for someone. Our hope is that the money we have raised will mean we never have to hear about the cancer diagnosis of another family member or friend. Rio Tinto salutes and congratulates everyone riding or involved with this weekend, and we look forward to hearing about the new cancer research projects at QIMR Berghofer that this money will support,” said Rio Tinto co-captain Martyn Robotham.

Adertisement