EC man to take on nation's most successful athletic fundraiser

Madeline Fuerstenberg Leader-Telegram Staff Madeline Fuerstenberg Author Email, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·5 min read

Aug. 4—EAU CLAIRE — For over a decade, Eau Claire resident David Fraley, 73, has ridden his bicycle with a purpose. He rides for George DeVoe Jr., his former business partner, who died at the age of 60. He rides for little Mary Eisnor, who should've turned 20 this year, but never saw age 9. He rides for everyone in his life who has ever been impacted by cancer — including himself.

And when Fraley rides for so many who have touched his life, he rides to fight back. That fight will continue this weekend, Aug. 6 and 7, as Fraley gears up for the annual Pan-Mass Challenge, the nation's most successful athletic fundraiser, which brings in over 6,000 bicyclists each year and has raised over $831 million in 42 years for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Mass.

The PMC is a one- or two-day bike-a-thon with routes ranging from 25 to 210 miles around the state of Massachusetts. Depending on the route participants choose, riders are expected to raise minimum funds ranging between $1,000 and $6,000, according to the PMC website. One hundred percent of proceeds go to Dana-Farber for cancer treatment and research.

Last year's PMC raised around $66 million.

"We're coming off of a record-breaking fundraising year for Dana-Farber, and we're thrilled to be 'back in the saddle' this summer, bringing our PMC community together for our first traditional PMC weekend since 2019 with our sights set on making an even bigger impact in the fight against cancer," said Billy Starr, founder and executive director of the PMC, in a news release. "We are so inspired by the dedication of our riders, volunteers, donors, sponsors and community members throughout the last two challenging years and can't wait to see everyone on the road this August for the 43rd PMC."

As of Wednesday, funds raised for this year's PMC totaled almost $40 million.

Following the death of DeVoe, a long-time charity rider who died of brain cancer, Fraley said he looked for a way to honor his partner and the work he had done throughout his life. Through another colleague, Fraley learned of Eisnor — the daughter of said colleague who, at the time, was combating a rare pediatric liver cancer — and team "Miles for Mary."

Miles for Mary is a team that rides in the PMC every year to raise funds in Eisnor's name. Having found the perfect way to carry on DeVoe's legacy, Fraley said he joined Miles for Mary in 2009. Though Eisnor died in 2010, the team still rides in her name today.

"It's a very emotional thing for me. I think some people look at it as more of an athletic event, but, to me, it's more about honoring the people who are going through cancer or didn't make it," Fraley said. "I think the things that are constant is you're adding people to your helmet every year, which is unfortunate."

Fraley, a Virginia native who has lived in Eau Claire for around two years, estimates that there are around 40 names now listed on his bike helmet, denoting the people in his life who have cancer or who have lost their lives to it. And though Fraley says he rides for them all, Eisnor will always hold a special place in his heart.

"In my heart, it's still Mary," he said. "She was a terrific little girl and we're supporting the researcher who's working on her particular type of rare pediatric liver cancer. So, we ride for everybody on the helmet, everybody who's involved in the cancer community for better or for worse ... Miles for Mary is still the reason I'm doing it."

The beginning of a tradition

Fraley trained for his first PMC run in 2009. In the final mile of his final practice run, he lost control of his bicycle, resulting in a collision that broke seven of his ribs, dislocated his shoulder and punctured a lung.

As he laid on the ground awaiting medical attention, he looked up to see another rider standing above him, observing his PMC gear.

"Don't worry," the stranger said, "I'll ride for you."

He met that stranger, Leo Trottier, again years later and thanked him. Fraley, who said he was not much of a bicyclist prior to joining Miles for Mary, has done the PMC every year since.

"It was (difficult) the first couple of years, but once you learn what to do and what not to do, it becomes less about the bike and the ride, and more about the event," Fraley said. "And I think that gives you some peace, because you're not so concerned about, you know, 'Am I keeping up a good speed? Is my bike going to have a mechanical issue?' You don't worry about those things as much, and just enjoy the ride."

In 2010, Fraley himself was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was cancer-free after a year of treatment, but said the illness had returned around a month ago. Today, Fraley is one of the first to be enrolled in Dana-Farber's Prostate Cancer Virtual Clinic, which allows him to have testing done in Eau Claire, but receive official treatment from Dana-Farber.

Now on his dozenth year of riding in the PMC, Fraley said he doesn't know how the return of his cancer will impact his one-day, 85-mile ride — shorter than his typical two-day, 192-mile ride — but he says the ride isn't really what matters.

"The ride is not the important part," Fraley said. "Raising the money is the important part."

Since beginning his annual tradition of riding in the PMC, Fraley said he has raised over $160,000. He said he has earned the Top 10% Heavy Hitter status each year, meaning he earned a minimum of $15,000.

Looking to this weekend, Fraley said he is excited to get back out there, take in the thousands of enthusiastic crowd members and continue on in his mission to fight back against cancer in Eisnor's name.