Dear Cavaliers Fans:

Back in June, I along with my foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, held an event at Quicken Loans Arena in partnership with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, “Celebrity Fit Club” diet expert and physician Dr. Ian Smith and State Farm to kick off The 50 Million Pound Challenge.

Cleveland was selected to be the first city to participate in the 50 Million Pound Challenge’s City Team Challenge and the event at The Q was a call to action for the community to join in the fight to lead healthier lifestyles.

The Challenge is all about a community coming together to reverse health trends caused by being overweight or obese. Too many of us personally know what it is to have lost family and friends to preventable illnesses like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or stroke.


I’m tired of seeing lives cut short when we have the ability to control the cause. That’s why I’ve taken a stand with Mayor Jackson, Dr. Ian Smith and State Farm to challenge Cleveland, and the rest of Ohio, to live healthier.

Our goal is to get 20,000 participants. I’d like for you to join me in fighting this cause by registering individually at 50millionpounds.com and by also joining the new citywide “Fit 4 Cleveland” team. You will find everything you need on the site including registration information along with community, diet and exercise tools - and it’s FREE!

For registering, we’ll award $500 State Farm Visa Gift Cards weekly from now through October 1, 2008. For recruiting others for the Fit 4 Cleveland Team, you’ll have the chance to win the VIP Game Package which includes four tickets to a Cleveland Cavaliers home game, a meet and greet with me, an autographed jersey, and a $1,000 State Farm Visa Gift Card. Even more, you’ll receive complimentary transportation and a one-night hotel stay for the game.

Join today and get actively involved to increase your chances to win. I believe we can make an incredible difference so let’s lose weight and get healthier together. Not to mention, I want everyone else in the country to know that Ohio is leading the way. Thank you for being a part of something great with me.

- LeBron

Background: Fighting the Epidemic of Excess Weight
The Challenge aims to reach its 50 million pound goal by making it easier for millions to get fit, give up the pounds and fight the epidemic of excess weight and weight-related illnesses that threaten half of all Americans. Today, 135 million Americans and 2 in 3 adults are overweight, double the rate a few decades ago. Each week, 10,000 people die from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and other illnesses related to inactivity and poor diet. The African-American community has been hit especially hard - 80% of women and 67% of men face higher risk from excess weight, and life expectancy is five years below the U.S. average.

Since it began last year, the free national health initiative has encouraged people to save lives by getting fit and losing weight. So far, more than half a million participants have joined The Challenge and lost more than two million pounds. Research shows that weight loss can be more effective when tackled as a group. The City Challenge is expected to be a highly valuable tool to help participants achieve weight-loss success while contributing to the campaign’s 50 million pound goal.