My Friends,
How do you say Thank – You to such a wonderful group of friends and family who have supported me, my team and the Pan Mass Challenge in both word and deed? That has been my dilemma. What better time than Thanksgiving Day to attempt to express my heartfelt gratitude. Please accept this letter in recognition of your support and my thanks. In it, I would like to tell you about the Pan Mass Challenge, The Training and The Ride.
I first became aware of the Pan Mass Challenge several years ago from friends who rode in memory of a colleague who had passed from cancer. I was impressed by their dedication to the cause and I really couldn’t imagine having the energy to pedal a bicycle from Central Massachusetts to the very end of Cape Cod. As I learned more about the event, I became more and more interested. When the State Police decided to form a Team this year, I jumped right in – really not knowing what to expect.
Initially, I had three major challenges: first, I had to get a bike, second, I needed to learn to ride it over long distances and third… I needed to raise Four Thousand Dollars. Well, the first was easy enough and once I had a road bike, the training started in earnest. I also began to reach out to friends and family for the real support – financial. I soon realized that the Pan Mass Challenge is a fundraiser first and a bike ride second. My letter campaign was answered by friends and family alike, but to my surprise, I began to receive checks and letters of well wishes from people whom I didn’t know. This happened because some very special people took it upon themselves to advocate for me and spread the word. I’d like to extend special thanks to Bob & Betty Padden at the Wooden Apple in Auburn and all my friends at the Wooden Apple for their extreme generosity. Also, special thanks to Bill Thibault of Forsberg & Carlson in Worcester his hard work and success with corporate sponsorship. Ginny Mendenhall at UMass had a very large contribution from fellow workers in the medical health profession. McKinley’s Liquors in Holden and Polar Beverages in Worcester were great corporate sponsors. I would be remiss not to thank Uncle Bob Sullivan from Georgia for an extremely generous contribution!
I began training for the ride in March on a trainer in the gym and finally got outdoors as the weather allowed. When I was up to a 20 mile ride, and feeling spent, I began to wonder what I was in for, and the reality of a 200 mile ride in a two day time period seemed almost impossible. But, by this time there was support behind me and I wasn’t about to let anyone down; there’s a saying in the Pan Mass Challenge: “Closer By The Mile”, and that’s how I approached training. I never lost focus of why I was riding, and to think of the physical and emotional pain cancer and chemotherapy causes, my little aches and pains were easy to put aside. I began to enjoy riding the longer distances and found the solitude of hours long training rides through the gently rolling hills of central Massachusetts almost spiritual.
A highlight of training came in July riding through the Acadia National Park. I can’t give enough thanks to my family for their sacrifice and support to get me ready for this, but my son Michael became a training partner. One July morning Michael and I started out at sea level on a Carriage Road through the forest that has the name “Around Mountain”. As we looked down from the summit, I knew I was ready; we rode up a mountain together and never looked back.
August 1st saw a warm sunset in Sturbridge where thousands of riders gathered for the opening ceremony. That’s when I began to find that the Pan Mass Challenge is far more emotional than physical ~ at least for me. Never have I seen more decent people gathered in one place for a singular cause. At dawn the next morning we were lined up and at 6:00 a.m., wave upon wave of bicycles and riders, all in a common jersey, started that eastward trek towards Provincetown, some 192 miles away. All along the way the support was incredible. People were cheering, playing music, ringing cow-bells, spraying us with water and encouraging us all on. One bagpiper stationed himself about ¾ the way up a particularly nasty hill and his music seemed to be pulling us to the top; two bagpipers played along the bogs at a lonely part of the Cape. Nothing can describe the feeling of seeing a cancer survivor, their hair gone from chemo, simply standing by the road with a sign saying “thank you,” it was incredible.
I think the highlight of the event came at dawn, Sunday August 3rd when Team Trooper Tested left the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne and road in a two by two formation over the Bourne Bridge. With the State Police bagpiper at the top of the bridge, we crossed with the sun breaking to our left and with the sky a purple glow to our right as we continued down the Cape Cod Canal in our Mass State Police, Team Trooper Tested jerseys. We decided to meet as a Team at the Provincetown sign and we rode in together. Success.
Well folks, forgive me for being on a bit of a ramble. But, after all, you supported me with words, cards, letters and money; I feel that you were with me during the training and the ride; it’s only right that I share my thoughts of this experience.
So, what did we get done? Together, this event raised Thirty Five Million Dollars! Every penny goes to cancer research and we were part of it. That’s right, we all own a small share of this success and to think that $35,000,000.00 (man, that’s a lot of zeros) was raised shows what hard work, dedication and faith can do! I hope beyond hope that we see an end to cancer in our lifetime.
Again, I wish you and your families health and happiness. For the cancer survivors who are receiving this, I hope that the continued research we support brings you the relief of remission. Please know I was thinking of you every pedal of the way. A cure is coming and it’s closer by the mile!
Fran LeahyEmail: FranPanMass@Yahoo.Com
Please visit this website if you would like more information, and to view photos of the event.
http://www.franpanmass.blogspot.com/
Day 1 - 5:30AM
People Cheering Us On 
Boston Bruin Lyndon Byers Stops
Members of Team Trooper Tested at The Finish!
View from Near the Summit!
