Berkshire County — The third annual PMC Unpaved biking event will be held this weekend as a benefit for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
According to the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) website, the organization has raised over $1 billion in donations through its various riding events over the decades since its founding in 1980.
This year’s event will kick off at Camp Mah-Kee-Nac in Lenox on Friday, September 27, during the evening before the main ride where the organization will hold a check-in party for participants, which will include live music and dinner. The main ride will occur on Saturday, September 28, beginning at 9 a.m. Cyclists will have a choice of either a 30- or 50-mile route that goes across western Massachusetts and New York.
According to PMC CEO Jarrett Collins, the goal for this year’s event is to raise over $75 million for Dana-Farber. “Last year, we had a little over 300 participants, but for this year’s event, we already have over 400 participants,” Collins told The Berkshire Edge. “We expect to get some more registrations before it’s all through. We’re pleased with that growth. We’ve developed a great home in the Berkshire County region for this event.”
Collins said both routes include riding on both gravel and quiet country roads, but the 50-mile route includes riding into New York state before finishing up in a loop back at Camp Mah-Kee-Nac in Massachusetts.
“We feel blessed that Berkshire County has been very supportive of our organization,” Collins said. “Berkshire County is like any other county in the United States where we’ve all seen too much cancer, and everybody knows somebody who has been impacted by it, whether it is someone in your own family or someone you know. We are excited about the progress that is being made against cancer at Dana-Farber.”
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is located in Boston and has been committed to the treatment and research of cancer since 1947. The institute also provides numerous programs and support services for cancer patients and their families. In all, the institute supports more than 380,000 patient visits a year.
“Almost 51 percent of the FDA-approved cancer drugs for the last five years were clinically tested at Dana-Farber,” Collins explained. “Dana-Farber is a place that punches above its weight class. Over the years, the work of its doctors and researchers has been cited by other cancer institutes more than any other center. Dana-Farber is the hub of knowledge in the world for cancer, and we are lucky to have it in our backyard.”
Collins added that he is very thankful for all of the support from Berkshire County. “All of the towns we ride through have been very supportive of us,” Collins said. “As we’ve traveled down the routes, we have seen people by the side of the road ringing cowbells and holding up signs of support. We’ve had private residences, a fire station, and Richmond Consolidated School host water stops for us. I think people should realize that, as our riders go down the roads, up hills, and into valleys, at least 10 percent of our participants are cancer survivors themselves. Our cancer survival rates are getting better every year. This event is a great way for someone who has survived cancer to get out there and show the world that a cancer diagnosis doesn’t have to be fatal. It can be managed, treated, and cured.”
For more information about the PMC Unpaved including registration details, visit its website.
