This year, I am gearing up for my 5th Pan-Mass Challenge on Team Havin’ a Ball! I’ll ride alongside, my husband, Anthony, Catherine's husband, Taylor, my dad, Anthony's dad, and six other teammates.
Year after year, I am blown away by the dedication my Team Havin' a Ball teammates have for training, biking hundreds of miles, and most importantly, for committing to raise thousands of dollars to help in the fight against cancer. Since 2013, our team has raised $405K for cancer research and we are dedicated to continue raising funds.
We are honored and excited to share our personal connection to The Pan-Mass Challenge! The hope in sharing our family’s story is to raise awareness and funds for a foundation that has greatly impacted our lives in more ways than one.
The PMC |
The Pan-Mass Challenge, better known as the PMC, is a bike-a-thon that raises funds for cancer. People come from all over the country to ride through the streets of Massachusetts in this two-day charity, which brings in more money than any other athletic fundraiser in the US.
Every year, during the first weekend in August, thousands of riders and volunteers share one common goal: to raise funds for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, a massive leader in cancer treatment and research.
Their ultimate aim? To find a cure for cancer.
100% of all funds raised by riders goes directly to cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. Since 1980, the PMC has raised $767 million for Dana-Farber, making it the hospital’s single largest supporter.
Anthony's Living Proof Story |
In 2009, Anthony was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. After his diagnosis, he immediately sought treatment at the world-renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. After months of chemotherapy, weeks of radiation, four surgeries, and time spent in the hospital, the doctors considered Anthony cancer-free! Without the expert work from loving doctors and nurses at Dana-Farber, Anthony’s outcome could have been very different.
Over the past 13 years, Dana-Farber has been the backbone of Anthony’s recovery and remission. Both the thoroughness and care from each person he has come across at DFCI has been astonishing.
In the summer of 2020, our family was reminded yet again of the impact of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute when Anthony was informed he had a large mass in the center of his spinal canal. He was brought to Dana-Farber, and within hours he had received additional scans. A plan was in place to have the benign tumor removed by one of the best neurosurgeons in the world. The speed and care DFCI took to Anthony’s situation were amazing to witness. We are so thankful for the team at DCFI who astonish us in all they do, and we’re grateful that fundraisers like the PMC exist to ensure cancer research is funded and lives are saved.
Team Havin’ a Ball |
Shortly after he was cured in 2012, Anthony rode in his first Pan-Mass Challenge. During the next summer, two of Anthony’s best friends joined him and Team Havin’ a Ball was officially formed. The team only grew larger the following year, when me and a handful of close friends jumped in for the rainiest PMC weekend to date.
The 2015 PMC proved memorable - Catherine’s husband, Taylor, and my sister, Molly joined the team. Little did I know that nothing would top this year’s PMC, because at the finish line Anthony got down on one knee and proposed to me! Saying "YES" next to my sister, cousin, and some of our closest friends while raising money for a cause that saved Anthony's life really was the most incredible moment.
Throughout the years that followed, Team Havin’ A Ball grew larger and stronger with the addition of our dads, siblings, cousins, uncles, and lifelong friends. Each rider who joins has an equally high desire to help cure the disease that has affected all of our lives in one way or another.
We have dubbed PMC weekend as “the best weekend of the year” and I truly think it is. The feeling of being surrounded by a team of family and best friends while contributing to something so huge and impactful is indescribable. Pulling up to a waterstop to be greeted by each team member's loved ones cheering you on, or volunteering, brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Team Havin' a Ball has truly become one big family of riders + cheerleaders.
Thank you so much for reading our story! We hope that with your help, more families are given the opportunity to tell their stories of survival.
The 2023 Team |
Jackie Magliozzi, 5th year
Anthony Magliozzi, 12th year
Taylor MacDonald, 9th year
Rick Pomroy, 7th year
Bob Magliozzi, 6th year
Steve Conley, 5th year
Tim Lally, 3nd year
John Anderson, 17th year
Charlie Boyce, 4th year
Colm Costello, 1st year
Michael Cavallaro, 1st year
Good luck to all of this year's riders! Be safe, have fun, and "on your left!"
xoxo, Jackie
Comentários