Ride With Purpose. Ride With Community. Ride to Change Futures.

On Saturday, July 18, 2026, Changing Futures hosts our inaugural cycling event; and we'd love for you to be part of it.

Rolling out at 8:30 AM from the iconic Woodman's of Essex, riders will travel the gorgeous coastal roads of Massachusetts' North Shore on their choice of a 15, 30, or 45-mile route. When they roll back in, they'll cross the finish into a live band, food truck with lobster rolls, fried clams, and one of the best Saturday afternoons of the summer.

But every mile has a purpose.

Why we ride

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic condition most people associate with the lungs — but for the tens of thousands of Americans living with CF, the disease attacks the digestive system just as relentlessly. Chronic pain, malabsorption, pancreatic insufficiency, intestinal blockages, and other gastrointestinal complications affect the vast majority of CF patients, often beginning in childhood and lasting a lifetime.

And while extraordinary progress has been made on the pulmonary side of CF over the last decade, the GI side effects remain dramatically under-researched and under-treated. As CF patients live longer than ever, the GI burden is becoming more — not less — central to the patient experience.

That's the gap Changing Futures exists to close.

Funding the work of Dr. Steven D. Freedman, MD, PhD

Changing Futures proudly supports the research of Dr. Steven D. Freedman, MD, PhD - Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and one of the world's foremost experts in the gastrointestinal manifestations of Cystic Fibrosis.

Dr. Freedman's work is the front line of CF GI research. Among his accomplishments:

🔬 He pioneered the link between CFTR gene mutations and chronic pancreatitis, fundamentally changing how the field understands the genetic basis of pancreatic disease.

🔬 He is leading bench to bedside studies on cancer in Cystic Fibrosis, why it occurs, developing blood test markers, and designing potential preventative therapies.

🔬 He leads landmark national studies including the GALAXY trial (defining the GI symptom burden in CF for the first time) and the PROMISE trial (assessing how next-generation CF therapies impact the digestive system).

🔬 He founded DIGEST, a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation–supported program training pediatric and adult GI specialists across North America in CF gastrointestinal care — building the next generation of physicians equipped to treat this patient population.

🔬 He helped to develop RELiZORB, a therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that he carried from the lab through FDA approval, now used by children and adults with CF every day.

When you register, donate, or fundraise through Changing Futures, you're directly funding the kind of work that changes the standard of care for CF patients living with GI complications. Not unfocused giving. Not overhead-heavy administration. Real, peer-reviewed, life-changing science, led by one of the people most qualified in the world to do it.

The day itself

We built a ride that we'd want to do ourselves:

🚴‍♂️ A bike ride for every level. 15 miles for the cruisers and families. 30 miles for the regulars. 45 miles for the riders who want to earn their lunch. Fully supported routes through some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in New England.

🦞 Celebrate the finish line at Woodman’s of Essex- a North Shore staple since 1914. Their food truck will be there to fuel your ride’s finale with fresh lobster rolls, fried clams, and a well-earned post-ride feast.

🎸 A live band at the after-party. Cold drinks, good music, and a parking lot full of people who just did the same ride you did. The party is the whole point.

🏆 Team fundraising leaderboard. Build a team in two minutes. Crush a ride. Out-raise your friends. Earn bragging rights at the office for a year. Where's your team?

How to get involved

🚴 REGISTER as a rider — $65 covers your ride, the live music, and most importantly, supports the cause.

👥 BUILD A TEAM — Grab 4 coworkers, a running club, or a group of friends. Team captains unlock fundraising tools and get their company on the leaderboard.

💛 DONATE — Can't ride July 18? Your contribution still funds Dr. Freedman's research and the patients it serves. Every gift is fully tax-deductible.

🤝 SPONSOR — Local businesses, please reach out. Sponsorship gets your name in front of hundreds of riders, families, and supporters across the North Shore and supports a cause that genuinely changes lives.

The Details

When: Saturday, July 18, 2026 · 8:30 AM roll-out Where: Woodman's of Essex · 121 Main St, Essex, MA 01929 Distances: 15 / 30 / 45 miles (pick your level at registration) Cost: $65 per rider After-party: Live music, food, and drinks at the finish line Benefits: Changing Futures Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 99-1085302). All donations are tax-deductible.

One Saturday. One ride. Real impact.

The roads will be beautiful. The food will be incredible. The music will be loud. And every mile will fund world-class research that's actively changing the standard of care for CF patients living with challenges most people never see.

Ride with purpose. Ride with community. Ride to change futures.

Don't miss this one. → Register or build a team above.

Changing Futures Cycling Event – July 18, 2026

Ride With Purpose. Ride With Community. Ride to Change Futures.

Team Leaderboard

Team Members