This year Team Xaverian will ride in its fifth Pan Mass Challenge. Since its inception in 2007, Team Xaverian has raised over $155,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Our mission revolves around the community and charitable ideals taught at Xaverian Brothers High School (XBHS - Westwood, MA).
The funds raised by the Team are directed to support the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Outcomes practice within Dana Farber. This practice was formed by Dr. Christopher Turner who is a 1985 graduate of XBHS and is currently led by Dr. Peter Manley. A major thrust of Dr. Manley’s group is the integration and socialization of child and young adult brain cancer survivors. As is the case in prior years, by participating in the PMC, Team Xaverian will ambitiously work to continue the fight to cure cancer. We are most grateful to our donors and hope you will support Team Xaverian and Dana Farber.
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About Team Xaverian:
Team Xaverian began as a concept in 2006 when two avid cyclists, Brian Murphy, Class of 1974 and member of XBHS’ Board of Trustees and Dominic Brodeur, Class of 1994 and then XBHS’ Director of Alumni Development, envisioned forming a cycling team that would participate in various charity rides as a unique means of channeling Xaverian Brother’s ideals and mission into the community. With the support of Brother Daniel, Team Xaverian was officially formed and began to solicit new recruits with an initial goal of participating in the 2007 Pan Mass Challenge (PMC), the country’s most successful bike-a-thon.
Integral to its ultimate formation, was the achievement of Kevin Nowak, Class of 1996, who with a friend rode in the 2006 PMC and together raised $7,100 to support the efforts of The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in its quest to find a cure for cancer. Kevin’s story is truly an inspiring and motivating one as he successfully fought and beat testicular cancer and, like Lance Armstrong, used his passion of cycling to help others less fortunate than he.
That 2007 Team was rounded out with Andrew Joseph, Class of 1996 and XBHS’ freshmen soccer coach and Patrick Franklin, who is Kevin Nowak’s brother in law and an honorary Hawk. In early August 2007, Team Xaverian rode the 192 mile PMC course over a two day period and raised just over $23,000. The Team was proudly able to dedicate its donation to another member of the XBHS community, Dr. Christopher Turner, Class 1985, who is a pediatric oncologist at Dana Farber. Team Xaverian will continue its participation in future PMC rides and encourages any member of the XBHS family to experience a truly special way of challenging oneself and most importantly, making a difference in the lives of others who deal with cancer’s life threatening challenge.
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About the Pan Mass Challenge:
31st Annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge: Aug. 6 & 7, 2011
The Pan-Mass Challenge, an annual bike-a-thon, is a pioneer of the athletic fundraising industry and today raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. The organization was founded in 1980 and has since raised $303 million for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. The PMC is a model of fundraising efficiency. In 2009, for the third consecutive year, the PMC donated 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause. The PMC generates more than half of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and it is Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor. Over 250,000 individual contributions were made to last year’s fundraising campaign.
The Ride:
The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is a fully supported bike-a-thon with food and water stops, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transportation, and lodging that runs through 46 towns across Massachusetts. More than 5,200 cyclists are expected to ride this year. Cyclists choose from ten routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and time availability. Two-day rides include the original 190-mile Sturbridge to Provincetown route; 180-mile Sturbridge-Bourne-Wellesley route; 163-mile Wellesley-Bourne-Provincetown route; the 153-mile Wellesley-Bourne-Wellesley route; the 157-mile Sturbridge-Bourne-Wellesley-Wellesley and the 131-mile Wellesley-Bourne-Wellesley-Wellesley. One-day riders cycle the 110-mile Sturbridge-Bourne route, the 84-mile Wellesley-Bourne route, and the 47-mile Wellesley-Wellesley Sunday loop. In 2011, cyclists are required to raise between $500 and $4,200 to ride in the PMC, depending on the chosen route.
When:
The 31st annual PMC will be held on August 6 & 7, 2011. It will begin on Friday, August 5, with an opening ceremony that will be televised live on WCVB. The ride has two starting lines on Saturday, Aug. 6, in Sturbridge and in Wellesley, and four finish lines: one-day riders finished in Bourne on Saturday, Aug. 6 or in Wellesley on Sunday, Aug. 7, and two-day riders finished on Sunday, Aug. 7, in either Wellesley or Provincetown.
Who:
Cyclists will travel from 36 states and eight countries to ride in PMC 2011. More than 300 riders will be cancer survivors or current patients. Some PMC cyclists are weekend warriors; others are trained triathletes. Many PMC participants ride in honor of a family member or friend fighting the disease. Cyclists range in age from 13 to 83. The average PMC cyclist is 43 years old, trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors, and raises more than $6,000. During PMC weekend and throughout the year, 3,000 volunteers donate their time and 200 corporations provide in-kind donations of products or services. The PMC was founded in 1980 by Billy Starr, who remains the event’s executive director, an annual cyclist and a fundraiser.
