Athletes help raise money for The V Foundation

Aug 03, 2006

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 3675 times

Los Angeles, Calif. - Top X Games athletes and more than 60 talented artists across the country have joined forces in creating original, one-of-a-kind skate decks to raise money for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. X Games artists, which will include Moto X riders Kenny Bartram and Mike Metzger and BMX rider Ryan Nyquist who will be painting a BMX bike frame will autograph their decks which incorporate a stylized V logo. ESPN founded The V Foundation with the late basketball coach and ESPN commentator Jim Valvano in 1993. Jim's very public 10-month battle with cancer was immortalized with the inspiring speech he delivered at the first ESPY Awards a few weeks prior to his passing. His favorite coaching phrase became the battle cry for friends and fans to follow in the fight against cancer - "Don't Give Up . . . Don't Ever Give Up!"®

It was announced at Winter X Games 10 that X Games athletes Kenny Bartram, Tricia Byrnes and Mat Hoffman will serve as spokespeople for X Games V Foundation initiatives. The three athletes, all of whom have had family members impacted by cancer, will collaborate with The Foundation on a variety of initiatives in an effort to expand the reach and awareness of the cause within the X Games fan base.

The V Foundation has raised more than $60 million since 1993 and it funds essential research for all types of cancers nationwide. Charity Navigator, the premiere evaluator of charities, recently awarded The V Foundation its top four-star rating for the third time. Hoffman , a BMX icon and six-time X Games medalist, said, "My mother died of cancer when I was 18. I've witnessed how unforgiving the disease is. To have a program like The V Foundation that brings the community together to raise awareness and funds toward cancer research, not only gives hope to those in need, but is an organization that I'm personally proud to now be a part of."

X Games 12 will be held Aug 3-6, 2006 at both The Home Depot Center and STAPLES Center.

For additional information about Jim or The V Foundation's mission, you can visit The Foundation's website at www.jimmyv.org.