For the 8th year in a row, the Fireflies West take the coast of California and tear up the miles in benefit of Leukemia research.

The Fireflies West is a companion event  to the original Fireflies ride of Europe (www.thefirefliestour.com) which began in 2001 where a group of advertising professionals cycle each year from Geneva to Cannes over the French Alps. Generously supported by Ridley Scott Associates and The Mill (a world-leading visual effects company) the Fireflies ride has raised close to 2 million dollars to benefit the Leuka Charity which raises funds for Hammersmith Hospital. Hammersmith is a world renowned Leukemia treatment and research facility in London.

The Fireflies West was founded by Bryan Farhy and co-founder Ben Hampshire, and since includes Phillip Detchmendy with key support from Erik Press.  Ali Brown leads our fundraising efforts.  We have collectively raised over $850,000 for the City of Hope to date.

Given that Fireflies West is an American based ride we needed to find a US charity to support. We were very excited to discover that the City of Hope hospital in Southern California is a sister hospital of sorts to the Hammersmith. This is our fifth year supporting the city of hope.

City of Hope is recognized worldwide for its compassionate patient care, innovative science and translational research, which rapidly turns laboratory breakthroughs into promising new therapies.

The Fireflies West will depart San Francisco on October 23, and arrive into Los Angeles on October 28 .

It’s 6 days and 550 miles of cycling down some of the most beautiful coastline in the world.

For those who suffer we ride!