Livestrong's 343-Mile 'Ride for Resilience' Honors Fallen 9/11 Firefighters

• The 343-mile ‘First Responder Ride for Resilience’ will travel from Boston to New York from September 6-10, honoring the 343 firefighters lost on 9/11 and raising awareness of the occupational cancer and mental health impact first responders continue to face. 

• Local residents and cyclists can join this historic five-day journey by registering to ride alongside first responders, volunteering at water stops along the route, or donating to support first responders and their families. 

• All proceeds support Friends of Firefighters, the Boston Fire Cancer Foundation, and Livestrong. 

Austin, Texas | September 6, 2026: TODAY, Livestrong, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the daily lives of cancer survivors, kicks off its landmark ‘First Responder Ride for Resilience’ – a five-day, 343-mile cycling journey from Boston to the 9/11 World Memorial in New York City honoring the 343 firefighters lost on September 11, 2001. Held ahead of the 25th anniversary of September 11, the ride will begin in Boston and travel through communities across Massachusetts, Connecticut before concluding in New York, and residents are invited to cheer on riders, volunteer at water stops, or donate to show their support. 

Firefighters are nine percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 14 percent more likely to die from it than the general public. The ride brings together first responders, cancer survivors, and community members to raise funds benefiting Friends of Firefighters, the Boston Fire Cancer Foundation, and Livestrong, expanding access to cancer survivorship and mental health programs for first responders and their families.  

“This ride wouldn’t be possible without the communities that welcome it along the way,” said Suzanne Stone, President and CEO of Livestrong. “Every stop gives people an opportunity to honor the firefighters and first responders affected by September 11 while supporting organizations that continue to serve them. We hope people will see this as a chance to come together around something that matters – honoring the heroes we lost, and standing with those still fighting today.” 

“Friends of Firefighters was born out of 9/11 with the promise that firefighters would never have to face the weight of the job alone,” said Nancy Carbone, Executive Director of Friends of Firefighters. “In the last 25 years, we have lost nearly 800 members of the FDNY to September 11th and 9/11 cancer, and job-related cancer remains one of the greatest risks our firefighters face every single day. Whether you ride, volunteer, or donate, you’re providing hands-on support for the physical and mental toll cancer takes on our first responders.” 

To register, volunteer, donate or view the local route, visit 911ride.org. 

Spokespeople available for interviews include Suzanne Stone, President and CEO of Livestrong; Nancy Carbone, Executive Director of Friends of Firefighters; and participating riders who can speak to their personal connection to the ride.  

About Livestrong: 

Founded in 1997, Livestrong has supported more than 10 million people living with, through, and beyond cancer – providing the trusted information, programs, and community that help survivors navigate every stage of the journey. Livestrong helped establish survivorship as a formal field of study in cancer care and continues to expand access to the practical and emotional support that cancer survivors and their families deserve. Because surviving is just the beginning. To learn more or to donate, visit Livestrong.org. 

For press inquiries, please contact livestrong@omnicompr.com.