Alec Fraser and Jamie Meehan are embarking on a coast-to-coast bicycle ride across 17 states this summer to benefit Cycle for Survival, the movement to beat rare cancers. The goal is to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Alec’s son Julian passed away at age 20 from osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
Julian was an all-American swimmer, water polo player, and captain of the Greenwich High School swim and water polo teams, graduating in 2014. He was a sophomore at Santa Clara University, where he played Division I water polo, when he passed away in 2017.
Since that time, Alec, his wife Cristy, and friends like Jamie Meehan, have joined together as part of Team Julian to raise as much money for rare cancer research as possible. The bike ride is self-funded, so all donations raised by this coast-to-coast ride will benefit Cycle for Survival, and 100 percent of the money raised will go directly to research led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Alec and Jamie will be supported on their trip by Cristy Fraser and Gina Modica, who will travel alongside them in a brightly-wrapped support vehicle spreading awareness and raising research funds. Beginning August 15, their trip will take them from the Rocky Point Club in Old Greenwich, through 17 states, totaling 4,650 miles and 120,000 feet of elevation. The goal is to ride 68 miles per day for 68 days. Team Julian will travel through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and then California, where they will end their ride at Santa Clara University. They plan to ride onto campus just in time for the popular collegiate Julian Fraser Memorial Water Polo Tournament.
2022 will mark the 16th year of Cycle for Survival, which has raised more than $285 million for rare cancer research and clinical trials led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This will be the 6th year Team Julian has participated, for which the Fraser family and friends have raised more than $500,000. Cycle for Survival was started in 2007 by Jennifer Goodman Linn, a Memorial Sloan Kettering sarcoma patient, and her husband Dave Linn. Jen sparked the Cycle for Survival movement and her legacy continues to inspire everyone involved to work toward ensuring better outcomes for everyone with a rare cancer.
Funds raised will support several initiatives at Memorial Sloan Kettering focused on accelerating progress in rare cancer research, including next-generation tumor sequencing and pioneering new cancer drugs and treatments that build on the success of recent breakthroughs. Specific areas that will benefit include Memorial Sloan Kettering’s world renowned sarcoma program and pediatric cancer programs.
“We are riding to continue the battle against cancer that Julian and so many others like him no longer can, and to give hope to those who are fighting the battle. As a father of a cancer patient and a cancer survivor myself, I personally know the impact of being treated at a world-renowned cancer center like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,” Alec said, adding, “Raising funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering is very important to me, my family, and my friends. One in three people will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Rare cancer research is drastically underfunded and about 50 percent of all people with cancer are diagnosed with a rare form of the disease. Rare cancers include brain, pancreatic, ovarian, and stomach cancers, all types of pediatric cancers, and many others. Memorial Sloan Kettering relies on funds raised by Cycle for Survival to fund its rare cancer research. I’m challenging myself this year to ride my bike across the country and hope my journey inspires others along the way.”
“I’m honored to ride with my dear friend Alec in memory of Julian, the second son I never had, and so many others who are fighting cancer,” said Jamie Meehan. “I was devastated as I watched Julian battle osteosarcoma in 2017. While I couldn’t stop the cancer in my friend’s son, I could do something to help others — and that means raising important funds to better fight cancer. Cycling across the country is my small part in the bigger picture. Hopefully by doing this, we can make a difference in someone else’s life.”
To learn more about Team Julian and the coast-to-coast bike ride benefiting Cycle for Survival please visit teamjf.org or to make a donation, visit bit.ly/TeamJF4Cure. To reach Team Julian directly, email [email protected]. To follow their progress, follow on Instagram @TeamJF and Facebook @TeamJF4Cure. For research updates and additional information about Cycle for Survival, visit www.cycleforsurvival.org.