Last year, Teresa Weyler, 44, of Worcester, Mass., participated for the first time in the Pan-Mass Challenge. She rode alongside her father, Anthony Palumbo, 66, of Worcester, who was also new to the annual bike-a-thon.
Their inspiration to join the PMC family was Weyler’s son, Mitchell. At 15-months-old he was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma, a malignant tumor which typically originates in the adrenal gland, which usually occurs in infants and children.
“To hear that your child has cancer, is one of the worst pieces of news a parent can receive,” says Weyler. “My father and I became involved with the PMC as a way to help fight Mitchell’s cancer with him. We were grateful to have such an outlet where we were part of something bigger and could feel like were making a difference.”
As an infant, Mitchell endured countless needles and surgeries, six rounds of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, 12 days of radiation, and six months of antibody treatment. Teresa and her husband, Peter, would juggle staying with Mitchell in the hospital and caring for Mitchell’s twin brother, Leo, and his older sister, Isabella, at home. After a one-and-a-half-year battle, Mitchell is now in remission. He continues to go for check-ups every three months and will for years to come.
On August 3, Weyler and Palumbo will ride 47 miles from Wellesley to Wellesley. Their motivation to ride and raise money this year is two-fold. They want to give back to the Jimmy Fund for helping to save Mitchell’s life. They also wish to continue to raise money to fund new research for neuroblastoma and other cancers that are in need of more treatment options.
“Riding in the PMC last year was an emotional experience for me and my father,” says Weyler. “To see all of the people who devote their time and energy to something that raises money for people with cancer is inspiring. To me, riding in the event is the small part. There are so many things we don’t know about certain cancers that it’s important to see the bigger picture. Together, we can ride to raise money to find more cures. Together, we can help to end cancer.”
Registration for the Pan-Mass Challenge is now open.
