On Aug. 3 and 4, 2024, Watertown’s Theresa Welsh will join more than 6,500 riders who take on the 45th annual Pan-Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In 2023, the PMC raised a record-breaking $72 million bringing its 44-year contribution to Dana-Farber to $972 million, and the goal in 2024 is $75 million, according to the PMC. Welsh has a personal goal of $10,000, and she is no newbie to the event. She also has a special connection to the event, as one of nearly 1,000 participants who are cancer survivors.
Welsh shared her experience in the Pan-Mass Challenge, and about her cancer journey with Watertown News:
Why did you decide to ride the Pan Mass Challenge? I hear it is a challenging ride.
When I was in my 30s, and my son was only in second grade, I suffered a stroke, and was left unable to move a significant portion of my left side. I was in the hospital and in rehab for a long time. But almost every day, my friend Mike Moynihan visited me in rehab and made me laugh, and it added levity to an otherwise difficult journey. Several years after my recovery, Mike was diagnosed with cancer. He fought valiantly, but passed in 2010. So I went out, bought a bike, and started riding in the PMC in 2011 to conquer my sadness and to do something positive to conquer the pain that cancer causes.
Are you a cyclist? Have you ever done something like this before?
I have always been an athlete – running, rowing, cycling – with the exception of several years after I had a stroke … my exercise at that point was balancing on crutches. Cycling in the PMC was a bit more mileage than usual, and a few years presented some challenges – specifically when I wasn’t ready for the dunes in Provincetown, and the years that I had surgery and treatment for cancer. But the gratitude that I feel when I am surrounded by such positivity during the PMC just adds so much happiness to my life.
How are you training for the PMC?
You could call it training, for sure! I am on the Women’s Competitive Team at Community Rowing, and we train year round. We are currently in our 2024 season and training for several large regattas both locally and nationally. I also go on bike rides with my PMC team (Team Kinetic Karma) and with my friends (many of whom also row with me). I’m fortunate to have a solid circle of friends that support me. Also, my son Brian is my biggest supporter, and he is in the 101st Airborne (Fort Campbell, Kentucky) and we love to compare workout plans.
What has Dana-Farber meant for you as you have faced cancer?
Dana-Farber has saved my life. I was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and “luckily” only needed a lot of surgery. I even went on to compete at USRowing Masters Nationals with my team the same year. But in 2021, my cancer returned at a more advanced stage, and Dana-Farber was there to give me the confidence that they could again support me. I’m currently in a multi-year clinical trial, yet still able to row competitively and to cycle in the PMC.
Can you tell me about how the clinical trial works?
Since I have a type of cancer that has a very high rate of recurrence, I chose to participate in a clinical trial. Dana-Farber has many clinical trials taking place, which makes it such an important life saver for so many of us. The multi-year clinical trial that I am in at Dana-Farber is super cool science. It is a Phase I-b clinical trial. I had surgery to remove the cancer masses, and then was given an IV infusion of the first immunotherapy drug for 12 full months. In the middle of the same year, I simultaneously received injections of a second immunotherapy drug, as well as injections of Neovax. Neovax is a vaccine created from a sequence of my own DNA found in my tumor.
Do you have a fundraising goal? Can people support you?
My goal this year is to exceed $10,000 and I’m almost 60% of the way there [Ed. Note: as of May, Now at 80 percent]. As I tell my supporters, donating to Dana-Farber will ensure years of laughter, time with family, and the pure joy that is found in living. I am living proof. If anyone would like to support me, it would be so appreciated … and makes sitting on that tiny bike seat so much more enjoyable. My link is found at https://profile.pmc.org/TW0102
How long have you lived in Watertown?
Although I have moved across the United States a total of 9 times, I have lived in Watertown several times! Most recently, I moved back to Watertown and currently reside here with my partner, Andrea. It is a very special place with a small town vibe … and close to Community Rowing (across the river from Perkins School for the Blind) where I work as a Director, coach adaptive athletes, and row competitively.
Find out more about the Pan-Mass Challenge at https://www.pmc.org/ride
See you in a few weeks at the start line, Theresa!
That’s my bestie right there. <3
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