Published July 25, 2019
NEEDHAM — On Aug. 3 and 4, more than 6,700 riders, including 10 riders from North Reading, will pedal up to 192 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) with the goal of raising $60 million for cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Cyclists from 43 states and 12 countries will convene in Massachusetts to participate in the PMC, taking on one of 12 routes, which pass through 47 towns and range from 25 to 192 miles, designed to cater to all levels of cycling and fundraising ability.
Riders range in age from 13 to 88 and include everyone from seasoned triathletes to weekend warriors. Many ride to honor a family member or friend who has battled cancer, while more than 950 riders and volunteers are cancer survivors or current patients themselves—considered living proof of the progress made in cancer research and treatment.
THE 40th Pan-Mass Challenge, which includes 10 riders from North Reading, will take place on Aug. 3 and 4. (Pan-Mass Challenge Photo)
Participants are required to raise between $600 and $8,500, depending on their chosen route, alhough the average cyclist raises more than $8,825, which exemplifies the spirit of the PMC and has helped the organization continue to increase its gift year after year, despite declining trends in the industry. Volunteers, spectators, donors and sponsors are also part of the camaraderie on ride weekend, all working together to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
“As we prepare for our milestone 40th PMC, we are humbled by the continued support from our growing community,” said Billy Starr, founder and executive director of the PMC. “It is thanks to the unwavering passion and commitment of our riders, volunteers, donors and sponsors that the PMC has been able to make such a tangible impact on advancements in cancer research and treatment since 1980. We can’t wait to see everyone on the road come August for what we hope will be a safe and enjoyable ride!”
If the PMC reaches its 2019 fundraising goal of $60 million, Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, a cancer survivor and former PMC rider, has committed to donate an additional $1 million to the cause. One hundred percent of every rider-raised dollar is donated directly to Dana-Farber through its fundraising arm, the Jimmy Fund, and the PMC is the institute’s largest single contributor, accounting for more than 55 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue. In 2018, the PMC donated an unprecedented $56 million to Dana-Farber, bringing its 39-year contribution to more than $654 million.
The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation and New Balance. To make a financial contribution to a rider from your town or become a virtual rider, visit www.pmc.org, or call (800) WE-CYCLE. Connect with #PMC2019 #PMC40 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
The following list of participants from North Reading includes quotes from their pmc.org fundraising pages, if available:
Laurette Burgess: “I am thrilled to be riding again this year and to be teamed up once again with the incredible Hannah as our Pedal Partner. Hannah is approaching the end of her grueling two-year treatment for B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. If all goes according to plan, she will finish in October – and will be done with sedations, MRIs, lumbar punctures, blood transfusions, hospital admissions and ER visits at midnight. So much for a little person to go through. Hannah is tough. Tougher than I need to be to finish this ride.”
Scott Burgess: “This is my second year riding in the PMC. Last year I rode in memory of two people I was close to – Steve Allen (my coworker and mentor) and Pauline Tanguay, my wife’s aunt, who both succumbed to cancer.
“I am very fortunate to be able to ride with my wife as part of Team Eisai. During our training and ride last year, I was also very fortunate to meet Hannah, our team Pedal Partner. Hannah was going through treatment for leukemia. While I haven’t had the opportunity to maintain as close contact as I would have liked, I have watched her as she progressed through a long, grueling treatment with lots of ups and downs, all the while maintaining that badass attitude that is going to stay with her forever. I was very excited to find out that Hannah is going to be my team’s Pedal Partner again this year. I can’t wait to visit her and see her at the Lakeville water stop.”
Timothy Conry: “I started riding in the PMC when my brother was diagnosed with cancer 25-plus years ago. He ultimately won his battle, but I continued to ride for others; my wife, other family members, friends, friends of friends, and pedal partners (young cancer patients at Dana-Farber). It is amazing how far cancer detection, treatments and prevention have come over those 25 years. We are making a difference and every year we get closer by the mile to finding a cure.”
Javier Florez: “I make this ride in support of numerous friends and family who have fought this devastating disease and won, and those taken from us much too early. I feel an overwhelming call to action and a renewed purpose in participating in this fundraising and ride.”
Ted Haggerty: A member of Team Avanti’s PMC, which now numbers 14 members, they have raised more than $300,000 over the years for Dana-Farber. So far this year, Haggerty himself has raised over $10,000 for the cause. Team Avanti PMC was organized by Rob Lubrano in honor of his father, Joe Lubrano, whose motto during his battle with cancer was “Sempre Avanti,” which translated from Italian means “Ever Forward.”
Writes Rob Lubrano on the Team Avanti PMC page: “‘Sempre Avanti!’ My father, Joe, would say this to me when I asked how he was doing during his cancer treatment. These words stuck with me and always make me think about who my dad was; always moving forward and never backing down, no matter what challenge lies ahead. When battling cancer, these words hold especially true, but to Joe, they defined who he was. Despite his struggle, he always pushed ahead, and did so sporting his trademark grin.”
Donna Keane: “My daughter Shannon and I will be riding in our 9th Pan Mass Challenge this August. This bike ride has always been an incredible experience for Shannon and me. It’s hard to describe unless you do it. But everyone on that day is in the same place, mentally and emotionally and it’s just a wonderful experience. It never feels like work and it always seems like you know something special will happen that day and it always has for me.”
Daniel Kennedy: “Like many of you, my family has been directly impacted by the evils of cancer. We were lucky enough to live in an area with many great hospitals and doctors, but mostly we were lucky enough to live in a time where cancer treatments are getting better and better every day. Facilities like the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are making breakthroughs every day. Of course, to do this they need money. That’s where the PMC comes in.”
Ed Parish: “This is my 32nd year that I have been involved with the PMC. There have been many remarkable breakthroughs in research these past few years and many would not be possible without the work of the Pan Mass Challenge. A lot has changed over the years, but the goal still remains the same: finding a cure for cancer.”
Brian Scott: “These rides have been some of the most amazing experiences I have ever encountered. Not only do I consider it a great accomplishment to ride a bike for 170 miles over two days but it is even more amazing when I realize why I do it: The amazing people I meet along the way and the stories I hear from survivors, the families of survivors, as well as family of people who unfortunately have lost loved ones to cancer.
“This includes Asher, an amazing 8-year-old that has been fighting this disease for almost four years and who I had the honor of spending time with the past two years. He is an inspiration and a true hero in my book. The mission will be the same: we must beat this horrible disease and this ride plays a significant role in doing so.”
Timothy Smith: “I can’t believe that I’ll be lining up in Sturbridge with thousands of other riders to make the 192-mile trek to Provincetown for the fifth time!
“We have raised just past $5,000 so far this year. I am again thankful for everyone’s generosity toward the effort to cure cancer. As has always been the case, every dollar donated goes directly to Dana-Farber. My team, the Midnight Riders, consists of 16 individuals, and this year, every dollar that is raised on our team is going specifically toward the research of Dr. Katherine Janeway, a Dana-Farber doctor and researcher who is finding cures and therapies for childhood cancers.”
