2025 Million Dollar Bike Ride

Fueling Hope Through Research Readiness


2025 Million Dollar Bike Ride

At Love Never Sinks, we are a passionate community of families, advocates, and researchers dedicated to making a difference for those affected by Lesch-Nyhan Disease. Our journey began with love—for our children, for each other, and for a future where families have hope and answers.

We believe in supporting families, empowering research, and driving change. That’s why we’re raising funds for our Research Readiness program—to ensure scientists have the resources they need to move discoveries forward and to connect families with the latest advancements in treatment and care.

A portion of every dollar raised will also help provide direct support to families in need, offering them resources, guidance, and a compassionate community as they navigate this challenging diagnosis.

All funds raised helps us build a stronger foundation for research and provides support to families navigating this challenging diagnosis. Together, we can make a lasting impact!

Join us in this mission. Donate today and be part of the change! 💙

#LoveNeverSinks #SupportFamilies #FundResearch #ResearchReadiness #Suporting Families

Organizations participating in the 2025 Million Dollar Bike Ride will receive the funds raised by their team. Your donation plays a pivotal role, allowing organizations to not only support rare disease research, but make a direct impact on patients and families in their rare disease community. Thank you!

Million Dollar Bike Ride is coordinated by Penn Medicine's Orphan Disease Center. Funds from the 2025 Million Dollar Bike Ride are being distributed to teams through partnership with rare-disease nonprofit, Uplifting Athletes.

We’re looking forward to the 2025 bike ride and the incredible opportunities it brings to unite our community and advance research through the support of our NEW Scientific Advisory Board!

Options For the Bike Ride Participation

  • Ride In Philly

    The routes for the 2025 Million Dollar Bike Ride will start and finish at the University of Pennsylvania campus in downtown Philadelphia. The roads will be completely shut down for exit from the city, up until the MLK river drive. The return will stay on the river drives almost all the way until the South Street bridge, which will bring us over to the finish with very little time on streets with traffic for the short route.

    click the link below for the 2025 MDBR routes. Route distances are approximate. Please note that there are time cut-offs for the long route. Time cut-off details can be found below.

    ***A note about safety: There will be a ZERO tolerance policy for cyclists not wearing a helmet.  If you are seen not wearing a helmet, you will be stopped and asked to hand in your MDBR bib.***

  • Virtual Rider

    Virtual Rider

    Virtual Registration Fee: Free. However, a donation is suggested. 100% of your donation that the ODC receives will be added to your selected team's fundraising efforts.

    There are no virtual events or swag bags sent out for Virtual Riders. If you are a virtual rider, you are encouraged to reach out to your teams captain on ways to participate virtually.

    Fundraising is not required for this registration. Pledge It will set up a fundraising page for you, but you DO NOT have to utilize it.

    We also encourage Virtual Cyclists to join our Strava Club to track your progress!

  • Million Dollar Mile Walk

    Million Dollar Mile Walk

    Those who are not cycling are welcome to walk the Million Dollar Mile! You must be registered to participate. Please note, this is for walkers, strollers and adaptive mobility equipment only. No bicycles or scooters permitted. All children must be accompanied by an adult. 

    The walk begins at 8:00AM - shortly after all cyclists are off! The route will be closed to traffic until all walkers return to the start/finish line.

    The Details:

    Who: Open to anyone who is not cycling. You must register to participate in the walk. All children must be accompanied by an adult, and have registered.

    When: 8:00AM - after all cyclists have left the start/finish line

    Cost: $15.00

    Where: This is an out-and-back route. You will start at the MDBR start/finish line!

  • Sharing Via Social Media

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    At Love Never Sinks, we are a passionate community of families, advocates, and researchers dedicated to making a difference for those affected by Lesch-Nyhan Disease. Our journey began with love—for our children, for each other, and for a future where families have hope and answers.

    We believe in supporting families, empowering research, and driving change. That’s why we’re raising funds for our Research Readiness program—to ensure scientists have the resources they need to move discoveries forward and to connect families with the latest advancements in treatment and care.A portion of every dollar raised will also help provide direct support to families in need, offering them resources, guidance, and a compassionate community as they navigate this challenging diagnosis.

MDBR Memories

Here’s something exciting: researchers studying Lesch Nyhan disease can apply for our RFA grant. Love Never Sinks, with the guidance of a dedicated group of doctors on our Scientific Advisory Board, carefully reviews and assesses the applications to ensure they align with our mission. It’s inspiring to see how every dollar we raise can make a meaningful impact in advancing critical research. Let’s keep making a difference together!

In 2022, the Love Never Sinks Team successfully raised $85,779, which was generously donated to Jasper Visser in the Netherlands @Radboud University for a dopamine study.

In 2023, the Love Never Sinks Team proudly raised $66,740 to support Sharon Kolk in the Netherlands. The funds were allocated to Radboud University for a study titled "Unraveling the HGPRT functioning in fore- and midbrain development using brain organoids.”

Link To 2023 Awardees

In 2024, at the Million Dollar Bike Ride we successfully raised an impressive $57,332. Giulia Bernardini was awarded the grant for Exploring the profile of Extracellular Vesticles (EV’s) in Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome (LNS). Giulia is located at Universita degli Studi di Siena.

The funds raised during the Million Dollar Bike Ride are available to any researcher worldwide studying Lesch-Nyhan. Simultaneously, Love Never Sinks – Lesch-Nyhan participates in the Million Dollar Bike Ride to represent families living with Lesch-Nyhan. At our booth, we share information, engage with other nonprofits and rare disease organizations, and advocate for treatments. Our goal is to give a voice to those affected by Lesch-Nyhan, foster community among families, and share experiences.