Nearly 250 Survivors Participate In Record-Breaking Dolphins Cancer Challenge

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Saturday morning was a picture perfect day for the 10th annual Dolphins Cancer Challenge.

A record-breaking 6,000 people biked, ran, walked or volunteered in the fight against cancer. About 250 of them are cancer survivors.

A year ago, David D'Eugenio, who had blood cancer, could barely bike three miles. Now, he's biked up to 5,000 miles, riding in many events like the DCC. For D'Eugenio, cancer seemed to be in every corner.

"I ride for 37. I've had 37 relatives that had cancer," said D'Eugenio, who wasn't diagnosed with cancer until his 60s. "I've lost siblings in their 30s, and I had my parents, and an older relative, a brother as well that passed."

Like D'Eugenio, Russell Ely also had many family members and friends affected by the disease. He donned ribbons in various colors representing those people on his back while he rode in the challenge.

Ely is also a survivor.

"It's everywhere, you can't escape it," said Ely.

That's why raising funds for cancer research and hopefully one day a cure is so important to everyone who was involved.

The Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the largest fundraiser in the NFL.

One-hundred percent of all the funds raised goes to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the only NCI-Designated Cancer Center in South Florida.

So far, more than $4.8 million have been raised and that number is only expected to go up.