Tewksbury Cyclists Take Their Battle Against Cancer To The Streets

Thirteen cyclists from Tewksbury are participating in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) August 4-5 for various reasons ranging from being a survivor to a family member who has or had cancer to supporting a friend or whose family member had cancer.  

Whatever their person reasons, the cyclists who range in age from 29-51, are all doing it to raise money to help find a cure. While some of the riders have reached their goal or have even surpassed it, others still need to meet their minimums.

Veterans or first-timers, all of the cyclists said they are doing this because 100 percent of the monies go to the Dana Farber Institute for research.

Last year, . Anyone interested in donating to a rider or to the PMC can go on the website and type in their name.

These are their profiles:

Kayla Biagioni-Smith and Peter Smith

Age:  29 and 32

Residence: Has lived in Tewskbury since 2010

Route: 50 mile Wellesley to Wellesley Loop

Training: Kayla enjoys riding for exercise and exploration. Peter is in the military.

Goal: $2,500 as a family

Already Raised: $2,295

Team: John Hancock, Kayla's employer

Fundraising Techniques: Asking friends and family members either in person or on Facebook/Twitter using the PMC e-gift link, reaching out to co-workers, (hers or family members) by email.  The Smiths also held a fundraiser BBQ at their house where they had a number of prizes to raffle off, including sporting event tickets and restaurant gift certificates.

Story:

Kayla said this would be her second, and her husband's first ride in the PMC. This year, she will be a virtual rider due to the fact that she found out she is pregnant with her second child.

They are participating in the PMC "in honor of a number of family members and close friends who have passed away, beaten the odds or are still fighting the battle with this horrible disease."

Right now, Peter is still deployed but she said he will be back in time for the ride.

Gary Brown

Age: 48

Residence: 18 years and has 3 children in the Tewksbury School system.

Route: 170 miles over two days from Wellesley to Provincetown

Training: Weekend Rides with the "Kwik Spinners Team" and spin classes at Boston Sports Club

Goal: $5,000

Already Raised: $5,567

Team: Kwik Spinners Team. Gary is an owner of Kwik Auto Supply, an automotive paint supply store in Medford and Randolph.

Fundraising Techniques: Raised money by holding a golf event for his customers that was sponsored by his suppliers. His family and friends have also donated.

Story:

Gary said he is participating in the PMC because "cancer is something that touches everyone, and we all know someone who has been affected by this terrible disease." 

This is Gary's second year, and he said he is riding for the wife of his close friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Last year he rode for a family who lost their mom who didn't smoke at age 40 from lung cancer. He coached her son in hockey, and he said, "I will never forget the face of the little 8-year-old boy in the funeral home looking at his mom.”

Surpassing his goal, he knows that "every penny of every donation will go to Dana Farber."