Courtesy Pan-Mass Challenge
FRISCO — This weekend, a trio of Breckenridge locals will join a group of three dozen Colorado residents cycling across Massachusetts to raise millions for cancer research.
Thirty-six Colorado riders — including Kaitlynn, Lisa and Meghan Sockett, of Breckenridge — will join more than 6,700 riders Saturday and Sunday to pedal the 192 miles of the 40th annual Pan-Mass Challenge with an overall goal of raising $60 million for cancer research and patient care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
The Socketts will join cyclists from 43 states and 12 countries for the endeavor, which gives cyclists the option of taking on one of 12 routes that pass through 47 towns and range from 25 to 192 miles. The route choice is designed to cater to all ages, levels of cycling and fundraising ability.
Cyclists who take part range in experience from seasoned triathletes to weekend warriors. Many cyclists ride to honor a family member or friend who has battled cancer, while more than 950 riders and volunteers are cancer survivors or current patients themselves.
Each participant, including the Socketts, is required to raise $600 to $8,500, depending on the chosen route. The average cyclist raises more than $8,825.
“We are humbled by the continued support from our growing community,” event founder and executive director Billy Starr said in a news release. “It is thanks to the unwavering passion and commitment of our riders, volunteers, donors and sponsors that the PMC has been able to make such a tangible impact on advancements in cancer research and treatment since 1980.”
If the event reaches its 2019 fundraising goal of $60 million, Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, a cancer survivor and former event rider, has committed to donate an additional $1 million to the cause.
All of the money raised is donated directly to Dana-Farber through its fundraising arm, the Jimmy Fund. The event is the institute’s largest single contributor, accounting for more than 55% of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue.
Last year, the event donated an unprecedented $56 million to Dana-Farber, bringing its 39-year contribution to more than $654 million.