Curebound Cancer Challenge Comes to UC San Diego to Power Lifesaving Cancer Research

Curebound was co-founded by Amy and Bill Koman, who survived two battles with lymphoma. The family is deeply grateful for the lifesaving care that Bill received and is now committed to ensuring the same outcome for others.

“Every one of us has been touched by cancer,” said Bill Koman. “Over the past decade, there has been significant progress on the research frontier but given the current challenges in federal funding for medical research, we need to push harder to ensure this momentum continues. Our goal is that the next generation doesn’t experience a cancer diagnosis in the way we do today.”

The Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion, located on the UC San Diego Health La Jolla medical campus, is named in recognition of the family’s generosity and dedication to advance health care in San Diego. The couple received the 2023 Chancellor’s Medal, which is one of the highest honors given by UC San Diego to recognize exceptional service in support of the university’s mission.

“As a destination for the entire region, UC San Diego is pleased to welcome the Curebound Cancer Challenge to campus and most importantly, unite with Curebound’s bold mission to cure cancer,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “Thanks to visionary supporters like Bill and Amy Koman and the entire Curebound organization, we can accelerate life-saving research, including the work at UC San Diego’s Moore’s Cancer Center, and bring hope to families affected by this disease.

The Curebound Cancer Challenge will feature three world-class 25-, 50- and 75-mile bike routes along San Diego’s Torrey Pines coastline, winding past the research labs where fundraising dollars are supporting novel discoveries.

For those who don’t cycle, the event also features a 5K Walk, a new 10K Run, 50-minute spin classes, entertainment, family activities and a team village where fundraising teams can gather and celebrate their efforts. Participants can celebrate their impact as part of the 2025 Kickoff Party held the night before the event on Friday, August 1.

“Curebound is thrilled to have increased participation by UC San Diego and its community members this year,” said Bill Koman. “Many participants will have never been to the UC San Diego campus and no doubt will be inspired by the major improvements, new housing, academic facilities and scale that UC San Diego has now reached. UC San Diego will serve as a hub for the other adjacent research institutions that make up the Curebound beneficiary community.”

The Challenge is part of Curebound’s larger goal to invest more than $100 million across early-stage cancer studies anchored in San Diego, with the potential to spread nationally through scientific collaborations. Every dollar donated will help fund pioneering cancer research, translational trials and prevention efforts among San Diego’s top scientists and institutions including UC San Diego, Salk Institute, Sanford Burnham Prebys, La Jolla Institute of Immunology and Scripps Research.

“Now, more than ever, philanthropic support is critical to continuing progress in finding innovative treatments and ultimately a cure for cancer,” said Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences John M. Carethers, M.D. “This is a fitting homecoming for the event, which is about hope, community and a future free from cancer.”

Since 2014, Curebound has donated more than $22 million to UC San Diego to support research grants targeted to all different types of cancer.

“We are grateful to Curebound for its longstanding commitment to accelerating collaborative research with the goal of ultimately bringing an end to cancer,” said Diane Simeone, M.D., director of UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. “By bringing together top scientists, clinicians and community partners, we are driving discoveries from lab to bedside — and offering hope to patients and families affected by this disease.”

For more information and to register for the Aug. 2 Curebound Cancer Challenge, visit www.curebound.org.

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