CLEVELAND — As the Cleveland Guardians battled the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Progressive Field the organization was focused on a different battle, against cancer.

What You Need To Know

Sunday was VeloSano Day at Progressive Field 

Members of the Guardians VeloSano team participated in a pregame parade

The Guardians have raised $2.5 million for life-saving cancer research at the Cleveland Clinic through Velosano since 2014 and have raised $280,000 this year

Bart Swain has had many roles in his 34 years with the Cleveland Guardians. None of them is more meaningful than being the team’s VeloSano team captain.

“It’s been a tremendous experience, a tremendous partnership with the Cleveland Clinic from day one,” Swain said. “All of us have been impacted by cancer in one way or another. Directly or indirectly. Loved ones, friends, anyone you know that’s been affected by this disease. It’s super important for us to give back and help fight it.”

VeloSano is a year-round fundraising effort to support cancer research at the Cleveland Clinic. Swain recruits people to join the Guardians VeloSano fundraising team, which is now at a record 125 members. It’s a mission that’s personal to Swain, whose mother is a cancer survivor. 

“We’ve collectively raised $280,000 to date this year,” he said. “We have so many loyal members on our team that meet their commitment and pull the miles. It’s an uplifting movement.”

On Sunday, members of the Guardians VeloSano team were welcomed to Progressive Field and given the chance to take part in a pregame parade.

“The opportunity to give the riders that give so much of their time and money the chance to come down and enjoy the ballpark, it’s pretty special,” said Swain. 

VeloSano presented the Guardians with the 2024 All-in VeloSano award. The award is given annually and celebrates the “extraordinary efforts and contributions of a team or individual to VeloSano cancer research at the Cleveland Clinic.” Swain says the organization remains committed to the fight against cancer.

“It’s vitally important to end this disease and provide comforts of living for those that are already affected,” he said. “We’ll do as much as we can do to give back and try and get ahead of it.”

Since 2014, the Guardians VeloSano team has raised $2.5 million for life-saving cancer research at the Cleveland Clinic. That total increased on Sunday, with $5 from each ticket sold going toward the fundraising effort.

The 2025 VeloSano Bike to Cure event will occur Sept. 5-6 in Cleveland.