CAMDEN, N.J. – MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper welcomed Philadelphia cyclist and Ride Hard Breathe Easy Founder John Matthews on August 15 as he completed a five-day, more than 425-mile cycling journey to raise awareness and support for lung cancer patients and their families.
The annual Ride Hard Breathe Easy Classic began August 11 at Dartmouth Cancer Center in Hanover, New Hampshire. Matthews and fellow riders traveled through New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey before arriving in Camden. Throughout the journey, riders helped raise awareness of lung cancer and the financial challenges many patients face during treatment. The ride also carried a message that reflects the organization’s mission: “How many miles does it take to get people talking about lung cancer? 14,000 and counting.”
Matthews founded Ride Hard Breathe Easy after losing his mother, Kathleen, to lung cancer in 2011. Inspired by a promise to help other families facing the disease, he launched the annual cycling event, which has grown into the organization’s signature fundraiser. Over nine rides, Ride Hard Breathe Easy has raised more than $1.2 million and provided direct financial assistance to more than 2,500 patients and families nationwide.
“I started riding because I made my mom a promise,” said John Matthews, founder of Ride Hard Breathe Easy. “But every year, this ride becomes bigger than my family’s story. It is about every patient who needs help getting to treatment, paying a bill, buying groceries, or simply making it through the hardest days of a lung cancer diagnosis with a little less stress.”
Through its partnership with Ride Hard Breathe Easy, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper is able to provide eligible patients with assistance for expenses that often accompany a cancer diagnosis but are not covered by insurance. Support may include transportation to treatment, groceries, utility and housing assistance, wigs for patients undergoing treatment, and other essential resources that help reduce financial stress during care. Ride Hard Breathe Easy has also contributed approximately $10,000 to Cooper’s Patients-in-Need Fund to help address these needs.
“The impact of Ride Hard Breathe Easy extends far beyond the miles traveled,” said Lisa Morina, senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer at The Cooper Foundation. “Their commitment to supporting lung cancer patients helps address everyday challenges that can accompany a diagnosis and demonstrates the power of community-driven philanthropy.”
As they traveled to Camden, the riders carried the names and stories of individuals impacted by lung cancer and stopped in communities along the route to meet with supporters, hospital partners, volunteers, and local organizations. Their journey highlighted the importance of community partnerships in supporting patients and helping address financial barriers that can affect access to care and treatment.
About Ride Hard Breathe Easy
Ride Hard Breathe Easy (RHBE) was founded by John Matthews after he lost his mother to lung cancer in 2011. The idea began in 2017 as a cross-country bike ride to raise money and awareness and two years later RHBE became a nonprofit organization that has helped hundreds of patients and caregivers dealing with the financial stress of a lung cancer diagnosis. RHBE partners with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper , Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health Lung Center, Duke Cancer Institute, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health, Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, Dartmouth Cancer Center, and Johns Hopkins Cancer Center to support their lung cancer patients. For more information visit: rhbe.org
About The Cooper Foundation
The Cooper Foundation supports Cooper University Health Care by inspiring philanthropic investment to advance patient care, research, education, and community programs. Through the generosity of donors and partners, the Foundation is helping shape the future of health care in South Jersey.
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Cooper, headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, has revenues of more than $3 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.
Cooper has nearly 14,000 team members, including more than 2,200 nurses, more than 1,200 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 700 advanced practice providers.
Cooper operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as three hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, and Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden.
Cooper University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 trauma center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.
More than 2.54 million patients visit Cooper’s facilities annually. Cooper’s ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, seven urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.
Cooper was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2026 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.
