5 Peabody Residents To Ride In Pan-Mass Challenge

PEABODY, MA – Five Peabody residents will ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge in August to help raise money for research and cancer car at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Tanner City participants will join more than 6,200 cyclists from all around the world to bike varying routes through 46 towns. The Peabody participants are Carol Cormier, Anne O'Shea, Ryan Cox, Jonathan Swerling, and Suzanne Jobski.

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 38th 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.

Image via PMC