Danvers Native's Personal Story Sets Tone For PMC Cycle Event

DANVERS, MA — A Danvers native's story of loss helped put a day of intense cycling in soaring temperatures into perspective for thousands of those who participated in Sunday's PMC Winter Cycle: Spring Edition at Fenway Park.

Allison Pyburn, who now lives in Belmont, told her story as part of the program where spin cyclists raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Insitute and ride in 45-minute classes taught by some of the top instructors in New England.

Because of coronavirus-related restrictions, this year's cycle was moved from its traditional winter location in the Fenway Park concourse to the more socially distanced diamond in June.

The Bishop Fenwick alumna shared her story with Patch last month of how she was looking forward to her third Winter Cycle in December 2019 when her father was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer called thymic carcinoma. He battled the disease for 11 months before succumbing to it in November.

"It did absolutely take on another meaning when he fell ill," she told Patch of her involvement with the PMC, which donates 100 percent of the money raised to cancer research. "That, in conjunction with all we have all gone through in this past year, made it that much more special to get the chance to go out and do it again."

Donations can be made in Pyburn's name through the end of June with an anonymous benefactor committing to match up to $2 million in donations back to the PMC.

Participating riders in this year's on-field event were required to make a $50 registration donation and asked to raise $1,000. There was also a virtual component to the Winter Cycle with a $25 registration fee and a $100 fundraising minimum.

"It's been a difficult fundraising year because we were in a very tough economic year for everyone," Pyburn told Patch last month. "It's tough for me to go and ask people for donations when so many family and friends have been affected by layoffs and furloughs.

"But it's been really nice to see with everything going on how generous people have been."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)