Race For Life Series
It all started in 1981 when an avid 12 year old BMX racer from Michigan discovered he had Leukemia. Todd Kingsbury was his name, and like many BMXers, he had dreams of someday becoming a top pro in the sport. Unfortunately, this dreaded disease would keep Todd from fulfilling his dream.
When Todd`s friends and the American Bicycle Association learned of his diagnosis, it was decided that an organized effort should be made to help in Todd`s "Race for Life." The first ABA "Race for Life" events were formed that year, with over 130 tracks participating and raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® .
Ever since, the ABA has held a series of "Race for Life" events nationwide to help in the fight to find a cure for blood-related cancers. There are awards given to top fund raisers which include t-shirts, jackets and trips to the ABA Grandnationals of BMX.
Of course, the best reward of all is the good feeling of helping others with Leukemia.
Get Involved
Did you know you don't have to be an ABA member to help in the fight against Leukemia & Lymphoma? Give a ABA BMX "Race For Life" donation envelope to a friend. They can help with a great cause, be eligible for great prizes, plus they can try out the great sport of ABA BMX!
Start Now
After you have received your collection envelope for the ABA BMX “Race For Life”, you need to start collecting donations from your friends, relatives, neighbors and businesses in your community. Instruct the donors to make checks payable to the Leukemia “Race For Life”. When you go back to the track, put all the checks in the envelope but don’t seal it because the track operator will have to verify what you have collected in order for you to be eligible to compete for the ABA BMX/Intense/THE/VSI awards that will be given away. If you need more envelopes see your track operator.
Award Levels
Minimum Donation |
Award |
$10.00 - $19.99 |
Race for Life certificate |
$20.00 - $49.99 |
Official Race for Life patch |
$50.00 - $249.99 |
Official Race for Life t-shirt |
$250.00 - $499.99 |
Official Race for Life jacket |
$500.00 & Over |
All entry fee`s to this year`s ABA Grandnationals - FREE |
Top Fundraiser Nationwide |
Free Trip for 2 to the ABA Grandnationals Including roundtrip airline tickets, event tickets and all entry fees... |
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ®
Since its inception in 1949, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® has been committed to finding cures for all blood-related cancers, but has not been able to effectively portray the breadth of its mission under a banner that emphasized a focus only on leukemia. Additionally, the Society is deeply concerned with the dramatic and unexplained rise in incidence rates of lymphoma during the last half of the 20th century. So on February 1, 2000, the Society unveiled a new name and logo. The new name, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® , along with a tag line, Fighting Blood-Related Cancers, was crafted to clarify the diseases that the Society fights.
We`re the same organization with the same mission. But we want everyone with a connection to blood-related cancers - patients, physicians and supporters - to understand that we are committed to fighting all hematological malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
The Society was further moved to implement the name change by a startling rise in lymphoma incidence rates. Statistics from the National Cancer Institute show that from the mid 70s into the 90s, lymphoma rates rose by more than 70 percent, which made it the third fastest rising cancer in the country during that period. Today 454,000 Americans have lymphoma. In 1999 alone an estimated 64,000 new cases were diagnosed. New cases of non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma are rising by 1.1 percent per year while death rates are rising by 1.8 percent each year.
To learn more about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® and it`s mission, Click Here .
