AIDS/LifeCycle announced June 4, 2023 that participants raised more than $11.7 million to support San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. AIDS/LifeCycle is the world’s largest single event HIV/AIDS fundraiser. More than 2,000 participants left Cow Palace this morning on a 7-day, 545-mile journey to Los Angeles.
AIDS/LifeCycle is a fully supported, 545-mile bike ride—not a race—that raises important awareness about the ongoing HIV epidemic, in addition to funding services such as HIV testing and screenings for other sexually transmitted infections, HIV medical care, prevention services including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), harm reduction services, and more.
“The funds raised by AIDS/LifeCycle support the many life-saving services we provide for free to the community,” said Tyler TerMeer, PhD, CEO of San Francisco AIDS Foundation and 12-time AIDS/LifeCycle participant. “The epidemic has been ongoing for more than 40 years, and it is far from other. Every year, this event helps bring us closer to a time when we reach zero new HIV infections, when everyone living with HIV is fully supported with health and wellness services, and when people at risk for HIV have the tools and information they need to prevent HIV.”
The Ride debuted in 1994 as the California AIDS Ride before it was reconfigured in 2002 to what is known today as AIDS/LifeCycle. Prior to this year’s total, participants raised more than $300 million and completed more than 66,000 journeys from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
“After more than 40 years, the fight to end this epidemic continues,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “The contributions of thousands of people who are part of the AIDS/LifeCycle community—riders, roadies, staff and donors—provide the resources necessary to continue this fight. The donations, through hard work and determination, support medical care and social services to those living with HIV and make it possible to offer prevention tools, such as PrEP, to people most at risk of becoming infected. I am so proud to be a part of this community that continues to fight every day to bring an end to this epidemic.”
Despite remarkable progress that has been made since the disease was first discovered in 1981, the HIV epidemic is far from over. In the seven days it takes the riders to reach Los Angeles, more than 650 people in the United States will contract HIV. Currently there are 1.2 million people living with HIV in the country, and one in seven people living with HIV nationwide is not aware of their status.
AIDS/LifeCycle’s sponsors are Gilead, FedEx, Amazon, United Airlines, Toyota, PwC, Chevron, and Keck Medicine of USC.
To follow the journey during the week of the ride through pictures, stories, and videos, visit aidslifecycle.org and @aidslifecycle on social media.