Bike for a Cause

Bike for a Cause

By Andrew Miller-Smith, Contributing Writer

I was 13 years old when I really got into biking. I had owned a bike for most of my life and had taken it out for a spin from time to time, but it wasn't until the summer of my freshman year of high school that I developed a passion for the sport. Every day, rain or shine, I would roll out of my driveway to speed through my quiet Brookline neighborhood and conquer any obstacles I could find, first the steep incline at the end of my street and then the most difficult hills in the area. I soon tired of the repetitious, local terrain, however, and, wanting to take my newfound hobby to greater heights, I signed up with a summer program to bike from Williamstown, MA, to Montreal.

The trip was incredible. There is nothing quite like cycling through the rolling Green Mountains and watching the sun's rays glint off the peaceful forests that cover Vermont's majestic mountainsides and plains, and the elation I felt upon pedaling into the heart of Quebec is indescribable. During those two weeks, I ate more maple candy and encountered more cows than I had previously thought humanly possible.

However, when the next summer came around, I found myself faced with a dilemma. I couldn't help but ask myself the question "Why?” Why was I biking these long distances? Was there a greater point to my pedaling? Was I only biking for myself? Could I somehow give my riding a meaningful purpose? Luckily for me, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge provided an answer to my reflective ponderings.

The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is the biggest fundraising event in New England and the nation's largest bike-a-thon. Since its creation in 1980, the PMC has helped fight cancer by raising over $270 million for the Jimmy Fund and research funds for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. One-hundred percent of contributions are given to the two charities and make up over half of the Jimmy Fund's annual donations and constitute the Dana Farber Cancer Institute's largest single donor. Every year in August, thousands of cyclists gather in Massachusetts to ride one of 10 different routes of differing lengths and difficulties, the longest and most publicized the two-day, 152 mile journey from Sturbridge to Provincetown. Each cyclist must meet a fundraising minimum, which varies between different age groups and routes.

For me, the Pan-Mass Challenge was perfect—not only did it allow me to continue to bike lengthy, challenging terrain, it also gave my riding the purpose for which I longed. I trained for months with just as much vigor as I had when preparing for my trip to Montreal, and I quickly surpassed my $500 fundraising minimum—soon more than doubling it by reaching the $1000 mark. I became a member of Team Daisy/Summit Partners, one of the many teams participating in the event. Pete Locke, the leader of Team Daisy/Summit Partners, named the team after his daughter, Daisy, who had survived cancer as a small child but was permanently disabled by her treatments. Knowing that I was riding for people like Daisy further boosted my motivation.

Finally, when the day of the ride came around, I experienced what I had never anticipated: It bested my ride to Montreal. Pedaling alongside thousands of other riders, many of whom were cancer survivors themselves or had witnessed loved ones fight the disease, gave me a feeling I had never before experienced: I was part of a greater cause, and my efforts were making a difference in the lives of millions of children. The best part of the ride was the people standing on the side of the road calling out and holding up hand-made signs that read "Thank you for riding.”

This year, I will be one of over 5,000 riders and 3,000 volunteers from 38 states and eight countries to participate in the Pan-Mass Challenge. I aim to surpass my fundraising total from last year and in doing so benefit people who are in need of help. If you are a biker or are even remotely interested in cycling, I wholeheartedly encourage you to join me. For more information, you can visit to the PMC website at http://www.pmc.org/.

-Andrew Miller-Smith is a junior at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge. He is interested in the French language, English and French literature, philosophy, and video game development. He is the features editor of his award-winning school newspaper, The Vanguard.