TULSA, Okla. — USA BMX hosted the 2022 “Race for Life” at Tulsa’s Hardesty National BMX Center on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The nation-wide event raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is a nonprofit that works towards curing blood-born cancers through research, education and advocacy.
“Really the entire community of BMX gets around this event every single year and every single track,” said Justin Wall with USA BMX.
Wall said the event started in 1981 when a BMX rider was diagnosed with leukemia.
12-year-old Todd Kingsbury lost his battle with cancer, but his legacy lives on with the BMX “Race for Life”, helping other kids.
14year-old Skyler brown came from Yukon to race.
“I have a friend of ours that has cancer, so knowing that some of that can go to her will help me a lot, and some of the racers that can’t race anymore,” Brown said.
12 Landon Wright lives here in Tulsa.
“I like racing anyways, if it’s to help out a charity, I definitely want to be here to race it,” said Wright.
The “Race for Life” wasn’t the only thing going at the Hardesty BMX Center. They also had a bike show with vintage bikes.
The rare vintage bikes brought older riders out to support the fight against cancer.
Riders like Chris Dodson from Sand Springs.
“These bikes are like time machines. They take you back. You ask about the kids, we are the kids,” Dodson said.
USA BMX hopes to raise $300,000 from the event. So far, they’ve raised $173,000.
If you’d like to help, click here.
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