Dozens of volunteers with the Gold Ribbon Riders (GRR) cancer research fundraising team participated in the recent “Cycle for Survival” event at Equinox in Woodbury. The team-based four-hour event featured relay-style riding sessions on stationary bikes. All of the funding raised at Cycle for Survival events goes in support of pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).
Based in Syosset, GRR was founded by Jamie and Jonathan Weiss in 2018 to support pediatric cancer research in honor of their daughter, Sawyer, a neuroblastoma survivor who was diagnosed at 10-months-old.
The organization brings together friends, neighbors, family members and community behind a mission dedicated to supporting children who are battling cancer. Since its founding, GRR has raised more than $4 million to help fund pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
GRR founded its Teen Initiative in 2020 as a leadership program to empower young adults to fundraise in ways that are personally relevant and inspire others to join the cause.
“To have the next generation of kids empowered and contributing is the driving force behind our teen fundraising initiative,” Jamie Weiss said. “It’s the idea that you don’t have to wait to be older or someone wealthy to participate.”
Cycle for Survival, which has been hosting fundraisers for 20 years in a movement to beat rare cancers, has raised over $445 million for MSK since it began. The organization anticipates having more than 30,000 participants and 155,000 donors across all of its 2026 nationwide events, according to information provided by the Cycle for Survival team.
This year, Jamie Weiss was one of the winners of Cycle for Survival’s “Game Changer Award,” an annual honor presented to one of the members for their leadership, generosity and wavering dedication to Cycle for Survival.
“It’s so inspiring to see what these families have done for this cause and to see young survivors at these events,” said Rena Damon, a Syosset resident who has participated in several GRR events with her daughter. “Many of our local teens ride in support of a family member or a child they know so this effort hits home.”
Jaime Weiss said that whereas many philanthropic nonprofits typically finish their work within four to five years after the loved one is done being treated, they plan to keep GRR going strong for as long as they can.
She said they value the strong support for their cause, demonstrated not only by the big turnouts of riders, but also by community members calling to ask when the next fundraising event is coming up, and parents sending them photos of their kids wearing GRR T-shirts.
“It’s an exciting thing to be a part of because 100% of money we raise goes directly to cutting edge cancer research and is used within six months, so it makes an immediate impact,” Jamie Weiss said.
