TL;DR
On Saturday, August 1, a group of employees from Island Stone & Tile joined the Cancer Kickers at the 2026 Curebound Cancer Challenge at UC San Diego. It was the team’s twelfth year — sixty-five members strong — and they raised $40,342 — bringing the Cancer Kickers’ lifetime total to $412,241. One hundred percent of what participants raise goes directly to cancer research in San Diego. The 2027 Challenge is Saturday, August 7, and the team will be back.
Twelve years is a long time to keep showing up for the same event. The Cancer Kickers have done it since the start, and on Saturday, August 1, sixty-five of them were at UC San Diego’s RIMAC Field for the 2026 Curebound Cancer Challenge.
A group of Island Stone & Tile employees was among them, along with friends and families. We are a Carlsbad based company. The research this event funds happens down the coast from our office, at institutions most of us drive past without thinking much about what goes on inside them.
Cancer Kickers was not something Island Stone started. David Fatula has captained the team for years, and over time more of us joined him.
What the Curebound Cancer Challenge is
The Curebound Cancer Challenge is a one-day fundraising event at UC San Diego where people ride, run, walk, spin or volunteer to fund cancer research in San Diego. It draws thousands of participants — patients, survivors, clinicians, researchers, families and companies from across the county.
Formerly Padres Pedal the Cause, the event now runs three cycling courses of 25, 55 and 75 miles along the coast through La Jolla, Del Mar and Encinitas. There is also a 10K run, a 5K walk, spin and yoga classes on the field and a virtual option for people who cannot be there in person.
It reads more like a community day than a race. Individuals, families and teams go at their own pace, and everyone finishes on the same field.
Where the money goes
One hundred percent of the money raised by Cancer Challenge participants goes directly to cancer research in San Diego, rather than to the operating costs of the charity or the event. That is unusual enough to say plainly.
Curebound also funds research in a particular way. Its grants are built for collaboration — specialized teams from San Diego’s leading cancer institutions, including UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Salk Institute, Scripps Research and Rady Children’s, working on the same problem instead of working in parallel on their own versions of it. The point is to get scientists and clinicians across disciplines into the same room, so that prevention, earlier detection and better treatment arrive sooner than they otherwise would.
For a donor, that structure is the argument. The money does not disappear into overhead, and it does not fund one lab in isolation.
Twelve years of the Cancer Kickers
The Cancer Kickers are a San Diego team that has taken part in the Cancer Challenge for twelve consecutive years, and 2026 was their largest year yet — sixty-five team members who raised $40,342. That brings the team’s lifetime total to $412,241.
The team started with a loss. David Fatula joined the event after his brother Andy died of cancer, and the team he has captained since has grown into a group of friends, family members, coworkers and supporters, each with their own reason for being there.
“I originally became involved after losing my brother Andy to cancer. Twelve years later, it means a great deal to see what Cancer Kickers has become. We all participate for different reasons, but we share the same goal—to help eradicate cancer.” — David Fatula
Totals like that are built one August at a time, through people continuing to come back year after year.
Why Island Stone & Tile was on the team
Island Stone & Tile was there because a colleague has captained this team for twelve years and made room for anyone who wanted to come. That is usually how these things build — one person, then a few coworkers, then a Saturday morning that is on the calendar every year without anyone having to organize a campaign around it.
We keep a short list of company values, and authentic relationships is one of them. It is easy to write that on a wall. It reads differently as sixty-five people on a field in August, most of whom did not have to be there.
“One of the things that made this year particularly meaningful was having so many of my Island Stone coworkers participate alongside our friends and families. Cancer touches all of us in one way or another, and it was great to see our Island Stone community come together behind such an important cause.” — David Fatula
Cancer touches nearly every family in some way. While our work may be far removed from cancer research, supporting the people and institutions working toward better prevention, detection, treatments and cures is something we can all be part of.
How to join the Cancer Kickers in 2027 The 2027
The 2027 Curebound Cancer Challenge is Saturday, August 7, at UC San Diego, and the Cancer Kickers will be there for a thirteenth year. Anyone is welcome to join the team.
Fundraising for the 2026 event has closed, so nothing here is an ask. Consider it an invitation instead. The Cancer Kickers team page stays up between events, and there is room on it for riders, runners, walkers, spinners, volunteers and anyone who would rather hand out water than wear a race number.
- Three cycling courses along the coast, at 25, 55 and 75 miles
- A 10K run and a 5K walk on the UC San Diego campus
- Spin, yoga and strength classes on the field
- A virtual option for anyone who cannot be there in person
- Volunteer roles for people who would rather work the day than ride it
Frequently asked questions
What is the Curebound Cancer Challenge?
It is a one-day fundraising event at UC San Diego where participants ride, run, walk, spin or volunteer to raise money for cancer research in San Diego. It was formerly known as Padres Pedal the Cause. The 2026 event was held on Saturday, August 1, at RIMAC Field.
Does all the money raised really go to cancer research?
Yes. One hundred percent of what Cancer Challenge participants raise goes directly to cancer research in San Diego, rather than to the operating costs of the charity or the event. The grants are written to fund collaborative work across San Diego’s leading research institutions.
Who are the Cancer Kickers?
The Cancer Kickers are a Cancer Challenge team in its twelfth year, made up of friends, family members, coworkers and supporters from around San Diego. In 2026 the team had sixty-five members and raised $40,342, bringing its lifetime total to $412,241. Island Stone & Tile employees took part as members of the team.
When is the 2027 Curebound Cancer Challenge?
Saturday, August 7, 2027, at UC San Diego. The Cancer Kickers will be back for a thirteenth year, and the team page stays open between events.
Can I join the Cancer Kickers team?
Yes. The team is open to anyone. Riders, runners, walkers, spinners and volunteers are all welcome, and you do not need to know a single person on the team to sign up.
Do you have to be a cyclist to take part?
No. Cycling is one option among several. The Cancer Challenge also includes a 10K run, a 5K walk, spin and yoga classes, volunteer roles and a virtual option for people who cannot attend.
The 2026 Curebound Cancer Challenge Image Gallery
Links
Cancer Kickers Team Page: https://cancerchallenge.donordrive.com/teams/6041