Resident Rides PMC in Honor of Husband, Raises Over $11K for Dana Farber

North Reading resident Donna Keane completed the Pan-Mass Challenge this past weekend, with her 27-year-old daughter Shannon, in honor of her husband Michael. Michael was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2008 and is now a patient at Dana Farber.

"Shannon and I do the 50 mile one day Sunday ride. We enjoy the time we spend training together and riding the PMC together," she said.

In the last three years, Keane and her daughter have raised over $11,000 for Dana Farber and The Jimmy Fund. A large portion of their fundraising comes from the bake sales she has at her office in Boston. She has received a lot of support from family, friends and colleagues, she said.

"The PMC is a wonderful event with so much love and support. It’s a great feeling to ride with people who really care," she told Patch.

A lot of the riders have either battled cancer themselves, or have a loved one who was affected by the disease, she explained. That is their motivation to raise money and ride in the PMC.

"There is a great oneness to the event that can’t be described unless you ride or volunteer and see it for yourself. There’s nothing like it," Keane said.