The History of Tri to Cure
Tri to Cure was started in 2002 by Jimmy and Jennifer Helms together with the Upstate Triathlon Club. In the fall of 2001, Stradford Helms, their son, began competing in triathlons. His father had been participating in triathlons for about five years. They shared a love for the sport, but they also shared a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. After many months of trying to find youth triathlons close to home in which Stradford could compete, the Helms decided to combine the two passions in their lives – the sport of triathlons and finding a cure for diabetes.
During this same time, the Upstate Triathlon Club was started. They joined forces at the very first club meeting. In just 10 weeks, Tri to Cure was born.
"It's really fun! I wish I could do it everyday. I can't wait till next year." - Blake, age 10
Tri to Cure is a non-profit organization, and all proceeds go directly to the chosen charity. The first year the Helms were told to expect around 50 kids (mostly their friends) and to expect to break even. To their surprise, they had 153 kids participate and raised over $5000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The second year 253 participated and $10,000 was raised for JDRF. The third year saw 296 kids participate and over $9000 was raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of South Carolina.
The goal of Tri to Cure will always remain constant: To help kids experience and enjoy the sport of triathlon and human accomplishment while giving them the opportunity to help kids facing the daily challenges of fighting a disease. Our motto is a simple one: “Kids helping Kids cross the finish line for a cure-Faster!”
In 2008 the Helms asked the newly-formed Carolina Youth Triathlon Club to take over the organization of the Tri To Cure, and the two entities have worked together to ensure a smooth transition and to further enable the positive growth of the Tri To Cure.
