UTICA — CycleNation, a nationwide relay-style stationary cycling event, brought 100 people together to compete in a friendly competition and raised almost $50,000 for stroke research and education.

The event took place Thursday, Oct. 27 at The Fitness Mill, 1707 Oriskany Blvd. W., where people competed and pedaled on stationary bikes. Participating individuals and teams raised funds prior to the event, with all proceeds going to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

According to the American Stroke Association, approximately 800,000 Americans have a stroke each year, one in four stroke survivors will have another one and women ages 35 and younger are 44% more likely to have the most common type of stroke (ischemic) than men.

Audrey Ventura, a two-time stroke survivor and co-founder of Universal Wellness in New Hartford, was one of the event’s participants and whose business was one of the event’s sponsors.

Ventura was born with a vascular tumor and stressed the importance of stroke awareness and credits the advancements of funding and research with saving her life.

“I would not be alive today without research and advances in technology,” Ventura said.

“This money is really important,” Ventura added. “More research needs to be done because there is so much more that absolutely needs to be done.”

Blood pressure screenings and access to health information, both vital to stroke education and awareness, were available on site to participants.

Michele Graham, senior vice president for Preferred Mutual, was another one of the participants who helped raise funds and support the event’s cause. Her and her team’s efforts helped Preferred Mutual become the top fundraising team for the event.

Graham noted the importance of participating in CycleNation and the personal impact that events like this have on her.

“I have a lot of stroke and heart disease in my family, so it feels good to be able to raise money and awareness to that,” Graham said.