10/15/2026
Rush to Crush Cancer is about making an impact beyond event weekend. Thanks to our incredible participants and donors, $40,000 is helping advance cancer prevention, education and screening for families in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.
We’re proud to support work that helps reduce cancer risk and brings meaningful resources directly into our communities. 💙
Want to be part of the impact? Join us for Rush to Crush Cancer in 2027! Register, fundraise or help spread the word as we work toward a future without cancer.
https://www.rushtocrushcancer.org/
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and Rush to Crush Cancer have awarded a $40,000 Community Mitigation Grant to Citizens for Radioactive Radon Reduction (CR3) to help protect families in Pittsburgh’s Hill District from radon, a cancer-causing gas.
The grant will fund radon mitigation systems in 29 homes with elevated levels. Residents also will have access to lung cancer screening, education and long-term monitoring to inform research on environmental exposures and cancer risk.
“This grant gives us the opportunity to help protect families from a known cancer-causing risk and could ultimately save lives,” said Jacquelyn Nixon, CR3 president and founder and a lung cancer survivor. “I’m deeply grateful to UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the Rush to Crush Cancer community for turning concern into action and making a real difference for our neighbors.”
The funding was made possible by participants and donors of Rush to Crush Cancer, an annual walk and bicycle event supporting cancer research, prevention, outreach and education.
“One of the most powerful ways we can fight cancer is by preventing it before it begins,” said Dr. John Byrd, director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. “This grant … will reduce exposure to a known carcinogen, connect residents with potentially lifesaving screening opportunities and advance our commitment to reducing cancer disparities across our region.”
“Every dollar raised through Rush to Crush Cancer represents hope,” said Ann Regan, executive director of Rush to Crush Cancer. “This grant is a powerful example of how community support can translate into real action.”
Together, community advocacy, prevention, screening and research are helping reduce cancer risk where people live, work and raise their families.
