13 Greenwich Residents to Ride for a Cure in the 2017 Pan-Mass Challenge

On Aug. 5 and 6, 13 riders from Greenwich will cycle up to 192 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) with the goal of raising $48 million for critical research and cancer care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

During PMC weekend, more than 6,200 cyclists from more than 40 states and eight countries will return to Massachusetts to participate in the PMC, choosing from 12 routes of varying mileage that run through 46 towns. Cyclists are anywhere between 15 and 84-years-old and range from seasoned triathletes to weekend warriors who trained for this event alone and everything in between.

“We are thrilled to be approaching our 38^th PMC ride weekend. Seeing our growth over the years has been truly incredible and we look forward to achieving our fundraising goal of $48 million for Dana-Farber,” said Billy Starr, founder and executive director of the PMC. “We want to wish all of our riders and volunteers a safe and enjoyable ride weekend – I’ll see everyone out on the road.”

Many riders participate in the PMC to honor a family member or friend lost to, or being treated for, cancer. More than 600 riders and volunteers are cancer survivors or current patients, considered “Living Proof” of the PMC mission to find a cure. The average cyclist trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors and raises more than $7,000. Volunteers, spectators, donors and sponsors are part of the camaraderie on ride weekend, all working together toward a cure.

No other single athletic event raises or contributes more money to charity than the PMC.

Since 1980, the PMC has raised $547 million dollars for Dana-Farber through the Jimmy Fund, its fundraising arm. In fact, the PMC is Dana-Farber’s largest single contributor, raising more than 52 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue.

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 #PanMass2017 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

Good luck to the following participants from Greenwich:

Jeanine Behr Getz, Thomas Rein, Yvonne Beecher, Tony Bienstock, John Brisson, Caitlin Brisson, Jo Hannafin, Jeremy Murphy (Old Greenwich), Brian Doherty (Old Greenwich), Sean Grogan (Riverside), Marco Marchese (Riverside), Angela Swift (Riverside), Vicki Craver (Riverside)

The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is an annual bike-a-thon that today raised more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the world. The PMC was founded in 1980 by Billy Starr, who remains the event’s executive director, an annual cyclist, and a fundraiser. The PMC has since raised $547 million for adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. The event donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause. The PMC generates more than 52 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue and is Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor. The PMC has successfully melded support from committed cyclists, volunteers, corporate sponsors and individual contributors. All are essential to the PMC’s goal and model: to attain maximum fundraising efficiency while increasing its annual gift. The PMC’s hope and aspiration is to provide Dana-Farber’s doctors and researchers with the necessary resources to discover cures for all cancers. For more information on the Pan-Mass Challenge, log onto www.pmc.org.