TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Dozens of riders will finish a more than 300-mile bike from Tampa to Tallahassee.

It is part of Moffitt Day, as hospital advocates head to Tallahassee for funding for cancer centers.

The group of advocates leaving by bus left Moffitt around 6:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, with an expected arrival of 11:30 a.m.

More than 40 people traveled by bus, including patients, volunteers, caregivers, physicians, and researchers.

“I’m a PhD candidate and I try to understand the science behind how cancer cells grow and spread in the body,” said Ranjini Bhattacharya.

Everyone on board has some sort of tie to the cancer center, some of them are patients at Moffit, like Cari Ann Gomez.

“My cancer journey started two years ago tomorrow when I got the diagnosis of breast cancer,” she said.

Some people on the bus are volunteers, including Randy Isaacson.

“My wife was a patient, she passed away 6 years ago now,” he said. “The most horrible thing that ever happened in my life and the question is, how do you get something good out of it? How do you turn that into something positive and hopefully, make things easier and better for other people.”

They will all be sharing their stories with lawmakers to talk about Moffitt’s priorities for the year.

“I think the biggest thing is to have the legislators have faces to the journeys, understand how the money and dollars spent, especially for Moffitt, have impacted people’s lives,” Gomez said.

“Funding for research, making sure more people have access, and personally, I think early detection. The earlier that people realize they need to get treatment, the better,” Isaacson said.

“Keep the momentum of Moffitt going, Moffitt has done so much for Floridians in general. So, we want to maintain the support for Moffitt,” said Bhattacharya.

On top of the bus ride, a group of cyclists pedaled 325 miles over four days to meet the group at the Capitol.

They will present three checks of $40,000.

Gomez said everyone going on Wednesday is advocating for every single person being treated for cancer.

“I work in healthcare, and I know how important it is to advocate for patients, and the treatment they need. The journey is what I like to call my cancer, it’s a journey, it’s so individualized, there is nothing that is the same for every single person,” she said.

The trip is all-day and all the advocates will be returning late Wednesday night.