Featured Fighters
Some people choose to give 100%,
for others it’s their only choice.
Meet our 2024 Featured Fighters. They are members of the Pedal family – survivors, fighters, doctors, researchers and caregivers – for whom the fight with cancer is personal. Together, we can create a world without cancer – all cancers, for everyone.
2024 Featured Fighters
Kira Andersen
In 2021, Kira and her husband Kyle unexpectedly found themselves in a fight for Kyle’s life as he battled pancreatic cancer. Kira’s persistence allowed Kyle to be the first person in the world to receive a new immunotherapy drug combination, giving her young family the gift of time. Now, Kira is on a mission to give other families the same choices.
The Drier Family
When Victoria faced a cancer diagnosis at age 16, the Drier family, along with the doctors at St. Louis Children's Hospital, came together to explore every cutting-edge option for treatment. Pedal the Cause's Executive Director David Drier and his family share the inspiring story behind their passion to create a world without cancer.
Dr. Bednarski & Elsie
Since being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at age 5, Elsie has faced three stem cell treatments and countless extended stays in the hospital as she has fought the disease. In 2019, Dr. Jeff Bednarski's new immunotherapy trial utilizing Natural Killer (NK) cells, which was initially funded by Pedal the Cause, offered new hope to Elsie and her family. This year's Elsie is the ambassador and Ride for a Child for Team St. Louis Children's Hospital - the institution that saved her life.
Penny Pennington
At 39, Penny Pennington was diagnosed with breast cancer just three months after her mother faced the same diagnosis. Now, as Managing Partner of Edward Jones, Penny is committed to sharing her story so that others may thrive as she has. She is proud to lead Team Edward Jones, who has cumulatively raised an astounding $6 million for Pedal the Cause to fund critical cancer research since 2010.