Cause Celeb highlights a celebrity’s work on behalf of a specific cause. In this week's Cause Celeb, we had the pleasure of speaking with both Seth Meyers and Ethan Zohn about their work with the Cycle for Survival.
Founded by Jennifer Goodman and her husband Dave Linn in 2007, Cycle for Survival is one of the fastest growing fundraisers in the world. Since it's start in '07, the organization has raised over $17 million dollars. The event is an indoor relay-style team cycling event to raise money for cancer research. In less than five years Cycle for Survival has funded twenty-five clinical trials and research studies!
Having done sketch comedy since college at Northwestern University, Seth Meyers is a well-seasoned comedian. However, Meyers’ main claim to fame began with his first appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2001. Since 2001 Meyers career skyrocketed, working alongside SNL pioneers Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. Meyers currently holds the title of the longest tenured SNL cast member.
Starting out as a professional American soccer player, Ethan Zohn’s career took a major turn in 2001 with his initial appearance on Survivor Africa. Since, Zohn has become a familiar face, as he has stormed your television sets with his many appearances on reality television shows such as: Survivor- Africa, Survivor All Stars, Fear Factor and the Amazing Race just to name a few.
Together in honor of a mutual friend Jennifer Goodman (co-founder of Cycle for Survival), Meyers and Zohn are cycling to save lives.
Intro written by: Gabriella Palmieri
Seth Meyers
Interviewed by Giacinta Pace
Q: How did you get involved with this event?
Seth: I went to college with Dave Linn whose wife Jennifer Goodman started Cycle for Survival, so a lot of people from college were involved from the beginning and stayed involved.
Q: What do you think is special about this organization?
Seth: Jen was somebody who when she got diagnosed, didn’t take it lying down. She stayed really active and once she went and educated herself about rare cancers, I think she was disappointed with what she found out as far as how poorly funded they were. It was that great thing of somebody who takes that really negative thing and turns it into this positive organization. It’s been great being a part of it.
Q: What do you hope for the future of this organization?
Seth: Losing Jen this year was very hard for anyone that knew her but I think the important thing this year was to show that the organization is continuing to grow and to outraise last year’s totals. We’ve done that so I think the exciting thing is to just try and keep her spirit alive in the charity.
Q: is there anything else you would like to add?
Seth: Just that biking on a cycle for an hour is harder than it looks!
Ethan Zohn
Interviewed by Giacinta Pace
Q: How did you get involved with Cycle for Survival?
Ethan: In 2009, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Jenifer Goodman-Linn reached out to me and she welcomed me with open hands and told me about her event. I had actually played soccer with her husband Dave. So in 2009, I was at the first one but I couldn’t ride because I’d just been going through treatment, a stem cell transplant. Ever since then I was sold. I am one of the people who benefit from all the research from Cycle for Survival because I have a rare form of cancer. Actually the drug that I’m currently on now wasn’t available 2 years ago. It just [got] passed by the FDA in August and I started treatment in October so it’s pretty amazing and people are out wondering where the money goes and I’m living proof that the work that these doctors do every day are saving the lives of real people.
Q: How does this event today differ to other types of charity events?
Ethan: This event is pretty spectacular because it’s simple. It’s not a marathon, it’s not a triathlon, it’s not a crazy adventure race. Anyone can come to a gym and ride a stationary bike right? You can ride for half an hour, an hour, two hours, it doesn’t matter and it’s just really simple. There’s music and there’s food and there’s people cheering and the equinox instructors are just having the best times of their lives, pumping you up and I really think it’s one of the fastest growing charitable event in the country. There are 10,000 riders nationwide, thousands here in New York City. I think they’ve raised over 17 million dollars to date from the start, and this year alone I think we’re at about 8 million dollars and that money has funded close to 20 clinic trials, and that’s pretty incredible.
Q: How has your own struggle formed your charity work?
Ethan: The truth is, everyone is touched by cancer. 1 in 2 men, 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed by cancer in their lifetime. 50 percent of all cancers are rare cancers so, regardless of my battle I think I’d be involved nonetheless. I lost my dad to colon cancer when I was 14, my girlfriend lost her mom to breast cancer when she was 24 so it touches everyone and to be able to lend my face and name to a great cause is pretty awesome.
Q: How are you feeling today?
Ethan: Today, I feel pretty great. I rode yesterday for two hours. I rode in San Francisco last weekend and for me it’s kind of a celebration of life and [to] be able to be here in honor of Jen and to live in her legacy is pretty spectacular.
