In 2026, the UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge celebrates its 10-year anniversary of fueling groundbreaking cancer research. Join us as we honor a decade of progress and power the next wave of discoveries through community fundraising.
Date:
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026
Location:
UC Irvine campus
Activities:
• 5K Run/Walk • 14-, 35-, 60- and 100-Mile Ride • Mountain Bike Ride
When you ride, run or walk for the UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge, you support the fight against cancer. On event day, enjoy a family friendly festival featuring food, live music and more!
Fundraising Commitments:
• Child/Student: $25
• Adult: $50
• Adult VIP: $500 (includes VIP Lounge access)
Your fundraising efforts translate into real progress! The projects funded by your donations are announced the following year, showcasing the direct impact of your support.
FOR INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS - Early Packet Pickup
We recommend each participant pick up their packet individually to ensure a smooth and efficient process.
If you need to pick up packets for family and friends, please inform them in advance to avoid any duplicates or confusion.
Friday, Oct. 9
12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Newkirk Alumni Center at UC Irvine
450 Alumni Court
Irvine, CA 92697
Parking Available in Lot 14
Click for Map to Lot 14
Can't make it to early packet pickup? Event day packet pickup will also be available at the registration tent, marked by giant yellow balloons in the festival starting at 6 a.m. on Challenge Day. It is recommended to come at least one hour prior to your ride/run/walk start time to avoid long lines.
Saturday, Oct. 10 at UC Irvine Campus
6:00 a.m. – Registration Open, VIP Lounge and Rider Central Open*
6:30 a.m. – 100-Mile Ride
7:00 a.m. – 60 Mile Ride
8:00 a.m. - Mountain Bike Ride
8:00 a.m. – Festival Opens
8:15 a.m. – 35-Mile Ride
8:30 a.m. – 14-Mile Ride
8:45 a.m. – 5K Run/Walk Opening Ceremony
9:00 a.m. – 5K Run/Walk
9:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Musical Entertainment**
10:00 a.m. – Complimentary Lunch Available
11:15 a.m. – Awards Presentation
2:00 p.m. – Festival Concludes
*VIP Lounge and Rider Central remain open until last rider returns
**Join us for a fantastic lineup of musical acts and performances featuring:
The Rockafellas
Hunting Waldo
Onco-Ballet
Anaheim Ducks Street Team
Please note that the event day schedule is subject to change.
Making a Difference
The fight against cancer begins with fundamental research on its causes, detection, prevention and treatment at National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers like the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Through a partnership with CHOC, part of Rady Children’s Health, a portion of proceeds are dedicated to pediatric cancer research.
Your support through the Anti-Cancer Challenge directly funds cancer-related projects, enabling UC Irvine physician-scientists to generate crucial preliminary data for high-impact research.
Event Day Activities
Q: Is this a timed event?
A: No, this is not a timed event or race. The UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge is a community-dedicated fundraiser focused on raising funds and awareness for cancer research.
Registration and Fundraising Commitment
Q: What am I committing to when I register?
A: When you register, you are committing to participate in the event AND raise the fundraising amount listed for your category (Child/Student: $25, Adult: $50, Adult VIP: $500) by Oct. 31.
Donations vs. Registration
Q: Does making a donation mean I'm registered for the event?
A: No. Making a donation on the general donation page or a participant's fundraising page does not automatically register you for the event.
To participate, you must go through the registration process here.
Team vs. Individual Fundraising Pages
Q: What's the difference between team and individual fundraising pages?
A: Each participant has an individual fundraising page, and these individual totals contribute to the team's overall fundraising page.
We encourage all participants to fundraise using their individual fundraising pages.
Each participant's individual total automatically contributes to their team's overall fundraising goal. This approach allows for accurate tracking of individual fundraising commitments.
If you need a general link for broader sharing, you can use your team's fundraising page. Keep in mind that donations made directly to the team page won't count towards individual fundraising commitments.
Fundraising Deadline
Q: When do I need to complete my fundraising commitment?
A: All participants have until Oct. 31, 2026 to fulfill their fundraising commitment.
Family Fundraising
Q: How should families approach fundraising?
A: For families, we recommend donating to each family member's individual fundraising page to ensure all commitments are met and to prevent the system from flagging $0 raised on individual pages.
2026 Patient Honoree
Kimberly Thorp’s daughter was 2 years old when Kimberly was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Today, she is 6. For Kimberly, those four years represent far more than a measure of survival. They are birthdays, school milestones, family trips and ordinary days together — time made possible by cancer research, targeted therapy and a physician who refused to stop looking for the best path forward.
That experience is why Kimberly and her husband, Dan, have supported the UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge for four years. For two of those years, their philanthropy has fully funded research led by Kimberly’s oncologist, Dr. Misako Nagasaka. Their goal now is to help create for other families the possibilities that research created for theirs.
“UCI has given so much to us that we want to pay it forward and give others hope,” Dan says. “UCI is committed to beating cancer, not just treating it. They are in it to win it.”
