San Francisco, CA (September 24, 2018) -- On Sunday, October 21, 2018, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, in partnership with Boston Properties, will host Runyon Up, a stair climb at the new Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, to raise funds for innovative cancer research.

Cancer survivors, their friends, family members and colleagues are expected to take part in this unique vertical challenge, the first fundraising stair climb to be held at the newly opened 61-story building operated by Boston Properties.

For most people, this will be their first glimpse inside the 1.4 million square foot building – a first-of-its-kind workspace designed specifically to promote the health and well-being of its tenants. The event is a unique opportunity for participants to be the first to race up Salesforce Tower (San Francisco's tallest building, which had its official ribbon-cutting in May) and to take part in the fight against cancer.

"We are extremely grateful to Boston Properties for partnering with us on this exciting new event. Salesforce Tower is a symbol of innovation, an appropriate venue to champion our commitment to the cutting-edge researchers who are making the medical breakthroughs of tomorrow," said Lorraine W. Egan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. "100% of donations raised will support the brilliant young scientists we fund at leading research institutions across the country and throughout the Bay Area, including Stanford, UCSF, and UC Berkeley."

Registration is now open online at http://www.runyonup.org. Participants pay a $40 entry fee and must raise at least $150 in support of cancer research. (The entry fee will increase to $50 on October 10.) Participants will have their own online donation pages to make fundraising easy.

The first wave of elite climbers at this milestone event will launch at 8:30 am, followed by waves of recreational climbers. Runyon Up will also offer a "virtual climb" option that allows registrants to take the elevator if they raise a minimum of $1,500. All participants can attend a post-climb party on Salesforce Plaza and will receive a finisher's medal and event t-shirt. Scientists funded by Damon Runyon will also be on hand to meet and congratulate participants.

Although based in New York, Damon Runyon's Bay Area connection started just after its founding in 1946 – when San Francisco Bay Area native, and baseball legend, Joe DiMaggio became a member of its Board of Directors. To date, nearly 30% of its current funding goes to the Bay Area, and more than 200 scientists who have received funding from Damon Runyon work in the Bay Area, in both academia and biopharma.

ABOUT THE DAMON RUNYON CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION 

To accelerate breakthroughs, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation provides today's best young scientists with funding to pursue innovative cancer research. Since its founding in 1946, Damon Runyon has invested close to $355 million and funded nearly 3,700 young scientists. Twelve Damon Runyon scientists have received the Nobel Prize and countless others have made discoveries that are saving lives today. The Foundation's goal is to end all forms of cancer. 100% of donations made to Damon Runyon are used to support cutting-edge scientific research. Its administrative and fundraising costs are paid from its endowment and Damon Runyon Broadway Tickets. For more information visit http://www.damonrunyon.org.

ABOUT BOSTON PROPERTIES 

Boston Properties is one of the largest developers and owners of Class A office properties in the United States, concentrated in five markets - Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC. The Company is a fully integrated real estate company, organized as a real estate investment trust, that develops, redevelops, acquires, manages, operates and owns a diverse portfolio of primarily Class A office space totaling 50.2 million square feet and consisting of 166 office properties (including nine properties under construction), six residential properties (including three properties under construction), five retail properties and one hotel. Boston Properties is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BXP." Learn more at http://www.bostonproperties.com/.