At 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, more than 750 Rancheros Visitadores from 37 states and six countries will parade in pink on horseback and in carriages along Alisal Road through downtown Solvang to Old Mission Santa Inés.
For the eighth consecutive year, the Rancheros have chosen to partner with Wrangler Jeans and the Tough Enough to Wear Pink Foundation to raise funds for the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara in support of local breast cancer programs at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center at Sansum Clinic.
This year they have reached their goal of donating $1 million.
Those who support the cause of finding a cure for breast cancer, and those who enjoy a colorful equestrian event are urged to save the date for this inspirational event.
Through the combined efforts of Wrangler Jeans, Tough Enough to Wear Pink and the Rancheros Visitadores, more than $1 million has been contributed to the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara since 2012.
The funds raised benefit breast cancer programs at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center including: clinical research trials, wellness classes and support programs, hereditary cancer-risk counseling, and nurse navigation.
These services are available to all breast cancer patients who live in Santa Barbara County, regardless of where they receive treatment or their ability to pay.
“The Rancheros have been returning to Santa Barbara County and the Santa Ynez Valley for 87 years,” said Ranchero Steve Beneto. “Though our members come from far and wide, this is the Rancheros’ home, and we have found a cause we believe in.” he said.
“We understand it is important to give back to the community we return to year after year,” he said. “The response has been fantastic as we continue our support of the Cancer Center and their excellent care of breast cancer patients and their families on the Central Coast.”
Within a mile of the Rancheros’ parade route is the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s Solvang office, 2040 Viborg Road, No. 140, which provides Santa Ynez residents with access to physicians who have studied, worked and taught in the finest cancer centers in the world, including Harvard, Sloan-Kettering, UCLA and the National Institutes of Health. And, in 2017 opened a new world-class regional cancer center in Santa Barbara.
The Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara and Ridley-Tree Cancer Center work together to keep the Central Coast at the forefront of modern cancer care through the recruitment, development and education of highly trained medical staff; timely acquisition of new medical equipment; active participation in clinical research; integration of oncology services; and continual introduction of promising new methods of treatment.
To learn more, visit the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, www.cfsb.org or the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, www.ridleytreecc.org.
— Liz Dewell for Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara.