Every one of the nearly 5,200 miles Ashkan Emadi, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the WVU Cancer Institute Department of Medical Oncology, traveled – 100 of them by bike – were with a powerful purpose in mind: to raise awareness of and find a cure for blood cancers by traveling across the country.

When Dr. Emadi decided to lead the WVU Medicine team “Mountain-to-Mountain: Crossing the Country for Cure” in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride on June 1 along Lake Tahoe, California, he saw an opportunity to help advance cancer research by networking with his colleagues across the country. Starting in Morgantown, Emadi drove toward Lake Tahoe and scheduled stops at several National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers across the country.

At the heart of the mission was his intent to highlight the WVU Cancer Institute’s programs, investigative treatments with novel agents and clinical trials, and leadership in providing cancer care to patients in rural areas of the state. By fostering collaboration with NCI-designated centers, Emadi hoped to build momentum towards the WVU Cancer Institute’s own NCI designation to create better cancer care for everyone.

“Our mission is to end cancer as we know it,” Emadi said. “Searching for a cure for blood cancer is a collective work, and collaboration between institutions matters a lot, particularly among the NCI-designated cancer centers.”

As he traveled west, Emadi stopped at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University in Chicago, the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Denver, and the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City to meet with scientists, pharmacists, and clinicians – some of whom were former colleagues he’d worked with in the past. During the visits, they discussed opportunities for collaboration through researcher-led clinical trials, advancements in cellular therapy, and transplants.

Emadi made it to Lake Tahoe, completed the challenging 100-mile LLS bike ride, and drove nearly 12 hours the next day as he made his way to his final stop at the University of Kansas Cancer Center in Kansas City. There, two oncologists shared their latest efforts in leukemia and transplant research.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to engage with peers who share our mission to push cancer research, education, and patient care forward,” Emadi said.

Although he admitted that driving 5,100 miles was challenging, Emadi said the trip turned out better than he expected. Harry Green Chevrolet Nissan in Clarksburg donated a new Nissan Pathfinder for him to drive on his trip, which made travel a bit easier, and Emadi said the scenery along the way was amazing.

Emadi shared posts on social media after each stop on his trip, creating a catalog of his journey. Along with plenty of photos of his colleagues and the scenic views along his route, he also shared several reflections regarding his trip, which he said was deeply personal.

“Every person impacted by a blood cancer deserves nothing less than a cure – and that belief is what keeps me moving forward,” he wrote. “I am making it my life’s work at WVU Medicine and my personal mission to make it happen.

“The ride may be over, but the mission continues – until every patient has a cure.”

For more information on the WVU Cancer Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Cancer.