This year Team Xaverian will ride in its 15th Pan Mass Challenge. Since its inception in 2007, Team Xaverian has raised over $425,000.00 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.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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.
About the PMC:
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is an annual bike-a-thon that today raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country. The PMC was founded in 1980 by Billy Starr, who remains the event’s executive director, an annual cyclist, and a fundraiser. The PMC has since raised $455 million for adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) through the Jimmy Fund. In 2014, the PMC gave a record gift of $41 million. The PMC pioneered the $4 billion athletic fundraising industry and is today a model of fundraising efficiency. The event donates 100 percent of every riderraised dollar directly to the cause. In 2014, the PMC generated 53 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue and was Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor. More than 240,000 individual contributions were made to last year’s event. The Ride: The Pan-Mass 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. Over 5,500 cyclists rode in 2014. Cyclists choose from 12 routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and fundraising ability. There are six two-day routes that range from 132 to 190 miles and six one-day rides that range from 25 to 110 miles. Cyclists are required to raise between $500 and $5,200 to ride in the PMC, depending on the chosen route. When: The 36th PMC ride is Aug. 1 and 2, 2015. The ride has three starting lines Sturbridge, Wellesley and Bourne, and five finish lines in Provincetown (2), Bourne, Wellesley and Foxboro. Who: Cyclists travel from 38 states and five countries to ride in the PMC. Over 300 riders are cancer survivors or current patients. Some PMC cyclists are weekend warriors, others are trained triathletes. Most PMC participants ride in honor of a family member or friend fighting the disease. Cyclists range in age from 13 to 80. The average PMC cyclist is 45 years old, trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors, and raises more than $7,400. During PMC weekend and throughout the year, more than 3,300 volunteers donate their time, and 200 corporations provide more than $4 million in products and services each year. The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation and New Balance.
