A version of the following article appeared in the July 24, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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25 years of Booty: What began as a solo ride has grown into one of Charlotte's largest cancer fundraising events
24 Hours of Booty is an annual fundraiser in Myers Park that draws more than 1,000 cyclists and 200 walkers. (Photo courtesy of 24 Foundation)
by Emily Brietz
Twenty-five years ago, Spencer Lueders set out to ride Myers Park’s Booty Loop for 24 hours to raise awareness about cancer. His neighbors left their porch lights on during his ride and cancer survivors approached him, asking if they could join.
As most longtime Charlotteans are aware, the “Booty Loop” is a 3-mile paved loop that includes major Myers Park thoroughfares like Queens Road West and Selwyn Avenue.
“I completed the 24 hours, and it was amazing, but what really happened was this is a platform, a place for cancer survivors and caregivers to share their stories and come together to have fellowship,” Lueders said.
What began with one rider in 2001 has grown into an annual event that draws more than 1,000 cyclists and 200 walkers. Since Lueders founded 24 Foundation in 2002, it has raised over $32M to fund more than 60 supportive oncology programs at Atrium Health.
From acupuncture and massage therapy to nutrition programs and assistance getting to and from treatment, 24 Foundation helps cover what insurance often doesn’t.
“We’re funding survivors from the moment of diagnosis with cancer navigators to help them go through the process and explain all the lingo and how the whole process works,” Lueders said. “And once they get through treatment, they need to get their lives back physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, all those things.”
Over the years, that support has reached thousands of patients and families across the Charlotte region.
Former scholarship recipient Lauren DiFrank, now a member of the foundation’s board, said the support allowed her to continue her education at Queens University while undergoing chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She also met her late husband, Rob, through the 24 Foundation.
“I am such a firm believer that because of all of this programming and survivorship opportunities at Levine Cancer Institute, my husband was able to live so much longer with his cancer diagnosis,” she said.
One of the event’s signature traditions is the Survivor Lap, where local organization Speed for Need helps cancer patients and survivors participate by being pulled in customized cycling wheelchairs.
“The team that leads this chariot is just really wonderful human beings, and they are the epitome of the spirit of Booty,” said Katherine Murphy, executive director of 24 Foundation.
While 24 Hours of Booty remains the foundation’s signature event, the organization has expanded its reach with year-round fundraisers, including Bourbon for Booty, a 24,000-meter row and Dam to Dam paddleboarding events throughout the year. This spring, the nonprofit launched a new survivorship retreat to get cancer patients, survivors, and their families outside the walls of a hospital.
As 24 Foundation celebrates its 25th year, Lueders said the goal remains the same as it was on that first ride: to make an immediate impact in the cancer community.
🚲 This year’s 24 Hours of Booty event begins tonight at 7 p.m. Check out 24 Foundation’s website for more information about this year’s events.
Emily Brietz is a summer intern for The Ledger. She is a rising junior at UNC Chapel Hill, double-majoring in media and journalism, and history with a concentration in U.S. studies. Reach her at [email protected].