More than a thousand motorcyclists and supporters at the 17th annual Houston Ride for Kids raised $300,438 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation yesterday.

Seventeen local brain tumor survivors led the ride with a police escort from a new start point, the civic center in Humble. Motorcyclists toured the countryside around Lake Houston before returning for the Celebration of Life program.

Several Ride for Kids "stars" spoke during the program, including 5-year-olds Javier and Delaney and Jordan, 12.

PBTF scholarship recipient Darla, 21, thanked the fundraisers by saying, "There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I wouldn't be here without you. Please continue to do what you do."

Dr. Johannes Wolff of M.D. Anderson and Dr. Murali Chintagumpala of Texas Children's Hospital told the crowd that researchers deeply appreciate motorcyclists' fundraising for Ride for Kids.

The event recognized the top fundraisers in three categories, including:

* Individual: Lynn & Ann Perrin, Katy, Texas, $17,005
* Chapter/club: Hou-Tex HOG Chapter 5075, Houston, $57,568
* Motorcycle business: Northwest Honda, Houston, $107,909

Terry Sims of Deer Park, Texas, won the drawing for a new Honda motorcycle.

A huge thank-you went to the event’s hardworking volunteers and task force members, led this year by Ronnie Lunsford, Steve and Judy Ferguson, Dave and Petie Lebanowski, and Joyce Cormier.

About the PBTF Ride for Kids®
The national Ride for Kids program and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) promote childhood brain tumor research and provide family support through free literature about brain tumors, educational newsletters, online conferences and college scholarships. America's motorcycling community has helped the PBTF become the world's largest non-governmental source of funding for childhood brain tumor research.

The next Ride for Kids events are Sunday, May 3, 2009, in Los Angeles and the Triangle Area, NC. For more information, go to www.rideforkids.org or call 800-253-6530.