SEATTLE, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading independent medical group and a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, announced that its 11^th annual Tour DaVita will kick off October 8 in Monroe, Washington. More than 600 DaVita participants including teammates, family members, physicians and 15 patients will ride this year, making this the largest Tour DaVita to date.

Over three days, riders will cycle nearly 230 miles across Washington State to raise awareness for kidney disease and raise funds to help support medical missions in the United States and abroad through Bridge of Life, a nonprofit organization founded by DaVita. Bridge of Life strives to improve access to dialysis as well as primary care in underserved communities around the world. Bridge of Life also works to prevent kidney disease through early-detection testing and education for adults and children.

To participate in the event, riders each achieved a fundraising goal and paid their own travel expenses. Individual fundraising combined with donations from DaVita and other corporate sponsorships will contribute more than $1.2 million to Bridge of Life.

"For the past ten years, Tour DaVita riders have embraced the 'Spirit of the Ride' by pushing themselves to accomplish mileage they may not have thought possible, all while providing tremendous support and encouragement to one another," said Dave Hoerman, chief wisdom officer for DaVita. "This ride is designed to empower our teammates and patients to reach new heights, mentally and physically, while giving back to the health care community."

Oct. 8 - Sunday's ride begins in the Snoqualmie River Valley, east of Seattle. The route takes riders along quiet country roads in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains and through rolling farmland, ending at Sky River Park. Participants can choose a 60 or 70-mile route.

Oct. 9 – On the second day, riders will cycle north from Snohomish County into the Skagit Valley. Riders can choose a 72 or 101-mile route.

Oct. 10 – On the third and final day, riders will cycle from Burlington through fields and forests and onto Samish Island, which offers views of the Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. Riders will cover 58 miles.

To date, Tour DaVita has helped raise more than $9.8 million for nonprofits dedicated to raising awareness of kidney disease, providing kidney screenings and expanding access to dialysis care and primary care in developing countries.

Tour DaVita continues its 11 year partnership with Backroads, the "world's #1 active travel company™". Tour DaVita has previously taken place in Tennessee/Alabama (2007), Wisconsin (2008), Michigan (2009), Washington State (2010), Connecticut/New York/Massachusetts (2011), Iowa (2012), South Carolina (2013), Oregon (2014), North Carolina (2015) and Tennessee (2016).

Tour DaVita sponsors include ADI Construction of Virginia LLC, Amgen, ASD Healthcare, Baxter International Inc., Henry Schein Inc., Meridian, MUFG, NxStage Medical Inc., Pentec Health, Tata Consultancy Services and Wells Fargo.

Contact Information

Media:
Caitlyn Shuket
720-357-5324
Caitlyn.Shuket@davita.com

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is the parent company of DaVita Kidney Care and DaVita Medical Group. DaVita Kidney Care is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of June 30, 2017, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,445 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 194,600 patients. The company also operated 217 outpatient dialysis centers located in 11 countries outside the United States. DaVita Medical Group manages and operates medical groups and affiliated physician networks in California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington in its pursuit to deliver excellent-quality health care in a dignified and compassionate manner. DaVita Medical Group's teammates, employed clinicians and affiliated clinicians provided care for approximately 1.7 million patients. For more information, please visit DaVita.com/About.

SOURCE DaVita Inc.