Residents ride to help fight cancer

For the fifth consecutive year, employee-owners at the New England office of Burns & McDonnell will join together as "Team Courage" in an joint effort to raise much needed funds in the  fight against cancer. The group of twenty co-workers will participate in the Pan Mass Challenge, a two day annual bike-a-thon spanning 190 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown, MA.  

West Hartford residents Mr. Dave Boers and three of his children, John, Sam and Claire have a goal to pedal their way towards raising more than $26,000.

Founded in 1980 when 36 cyclists rode across Massachusetts and raised $10,200 for the Jimmy Fund, the PMC is known today as the "gold standard" of athletic fundraising events, due to the unprecedented sums it raises in one weekend.  Their collective goal is to raise $36 million this year for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund and bring the organization's 33-year fundraising total to more than $374 million.

Every rider on Burns & McDonnell's "Team Courage" has a reason that is motivating them to participate. 

The past four years, riders of "Team Courage" have motivated and challenged themselves and their co-workers to get involved and increase Burns & McDonnell's participation and fundraising.  This year, for the first time, Team Courage" has adopted Ethan Bairos as their Pedal Partner.  The Pedal Partner Program has offered an inspiring opportunity for members of the team to connect with Ethan, a courageous 7 year old boy battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).  Ethan is currently receiving treatment for the disease at Boston's Children's Hospital. 

Riding in honor of Ethan, and everyone else who is battling cancer, "Team Courage" has set an overall 2012 team fundraising goal of $140,000, which is well above the previous year's goal of $75,000; a goal which was achieved in excess of over $12,000.     

The funds raised are part of an overall effort by more than 8,500 participants and volunteers who contributed to this year's goal of the Pan Mass Challenge to raise over $36 million, 100% of which benefits cancer research via the Jimmy Fund.  To help contribute to "Team Courage's" fundraising goal, please visit http://www.pmc.org/profile/TC0147.