More unified and inclusive than ever before, with route options for the whole family!

The Chicagoland Tour de Cure is the American Diabetes Association’s signature fundraising event for participants of all age levels and abilities, with five, SAG supported routes including 10, 30, 63 and 100 mile cycling routes and—new this year—a 5K walk and timed run! Routes will start and end on Sunday, June 10^th at RiverEdge Park in Aurora, Illinois, a beautiful, 30-acre concert venue, pier and river walk. Rest stops will be fully stocked with food, fuel and fans, and an exciting festival will welcome riders, runners and walkers as they cross the finish line, with live entertainment, delicious food options, sponsor giveaways, family activities, and so much more!

Participants are required to pay a $30 registration fee and fundraise a minimum of $250 in support of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The ADA offers personalized webpages, customizable fundraising kits, and plenty of resources to help every participant reach their minimum. Funds raised in the Chicagoland Tour de Cure will help deepen diabetes research, accelerate advocacy efforts, and provide vital programming and diabetes education to those in need. Ultimately, events like Tour de Cure help support the ADA’s mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

Staggering Statistics

30 million adults and children in the United States have diabetes—nearly 10 percent of the population. An additional 84 million adults have prediabetes, a condition likely to lead to diabetes if not addressed. What’s more, diabetes disproportionately affects certain ethnic minorities and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and underserved.

Living Red

Our Living Red community includes participants living with type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes. They showcase the courage it takes to live with this difficult disease every day, and they’re the people we celebrate the day of the event! “GO RED RIDER!” chants and jerseys fill the air, and a sense of support and camaraderie is felt by everyone who attends.

Christine Quinn and her son, JoJo, first rode in the Tour de Cure in 2015, just over a year after JoJo’s initial diagnosis. “JoJo was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on May 24, 2014 at just 9 years old. I watched my only child mature before my eyes over the next few days, becoming an inspiration to us all and revealing the fighter inside him. When the diabetes educator introduced him to his meter and supplies and asked him who he wanted to practice on, he simply replied, “myself.” After all, he would be the one doing so, multiple times each and every day.  My heart was broken for my little boy who had to grow up overnight. As a parent, I don’t think you ever stop worrying; this is compounded when you have a child with type 1 diabetes. I felt alone and sought support. A quick search led me to the American Diabetes Association’s Chicagoland Tour de Cure. I decided this event was going to serve as a stepping stone to getting involved in the diabetes community,” said Quinn.

“At times, JoJo was embarrassed to check his BG in public and he made sure he received his insulin dosage as discreetly as possible; having diabetes made him feel as though he was different. The Tour de Cure changed that for him. To become part of an event in which he was celebrated was overwhelming to watch. He blossomed with every “GO RED RIDER” shout out!”

Create or Join a Team

The Chicagoland Tour de Cure is open to everyone! Riders, runners and walkers can register as individuals or create a team with family, friends, or co-workers. Leading a team comes with its perks, too. With a new and improved Team Captain Guide, all it takes is the willingness to reach out to those you know and you can become one of the ADA’s most valuable leaders.

If you’re looking to join an existing team instead, David Gibbs, long-time Tour de Cure rider and volunteer, invites everyone to join Team RED Chicago! “Team RED is a social team consisting of Red Riders, Runners & Walkers, their friends, family, and anyone else who wants to be part of a team. Through the team’s private email forum, we help each other with fundraising ideas, discuss cycling topics, and organize group rides. As team captain, I act as a mentor, supporter, and cheerleader for team members. One thing that I enjoy doing is creating internal competitions, by posting a weekly State of the Peloton message to our mailing list; I list who's leading in fundraising using cycling terms (breakaway, chase group, etc.),” David shares. Over the years, David and his co-captain, Carlos Gravis, have grown Team RED Chicago to become the #1 Team Red in the nation, but more importantly, they’ve brought together a community of riders who now share a lifelong bond.

Companies can also create corporate teams or sponsor the event to show their support. In return, companies receive heightened brand exposure and the opportunity to engage with clients and employees in a one-of-a-kind networking event.

Routes for Everyone

An organized ride, walk or timed run can seem daunting, especially if it’s your first. Fortunately, the Chicagoland Tour de Cure offers routes for beginners, families, occasional riders, even experienced cyclists. Online training guides, organized group rides, and most importantly, the encouragement you feel along each route makes crossing the finish line an enjoyable experience you won’t want to miss.

Mitur Sakoda, avid cyclist and routes guru, knows first-hand how each mile can be conquered,  “My first century was in the 2014 Chicagoland Tour de Cure. I was a bit over a year into life after having a gastric bypass, no more diabetes medication, and finding out I had an endurance athlete hiding under the nearly 100lbs I lost. These days, I can comfortably ride a century pretty much any time I feel like it; my latest Tour de Cure challenge is riding with my 11 year old son. Last year we rode the 40 mile route, and I was overjoyed when MY son!”

Volunteers

The Chicagoland Tour de Cure wouldn’t be possible without the hundreds of volunteers and dedicated Planning Committee members working year-round to organize this event. The committee is the backbone of the Tour de Cure, helping to shape an incredible community of support.

Committee Co-Chair Lori Brinker shares, “Being a part of the Chicagoland Tour de Cure has been life-changing for me.  Six years ago, I rode in the Tour de Cure with and to support my daughter who has type 2 diabetes, and in honor of my son and other family and friends living with this difficult disease. I had no idea the positive impact that day would have on my life. I joined the Planning Committee the next year and have been an active member since. I can’t begin to describe the amazing, talented, loving and supportive ‘family’ the Planning Committee has truly become. Each with their own unique story as to how diabetes has and is affecting their lives, and the incredible talents they bring to the planning of this wonderful event. Each of those stories has bound our Planning Committee with supportive friendships making us an unstoppable team. On event day there are so many smiles and so much appreciation it makes every minute we spend planning and working as hard as we do, so very worth it!” 

Register Today

You can register for the Chicagoland Tour de Cure at www.diabetes.org/chicagotour or reach out to chicagotour@diabetes.org with more questions.