Tri-Town Pan Mass Challenge Kids Ride to raise money for cancer research and patient care

CANTON – Tricycles in the Pan Mass Challenge? Yup.

Kids of many ages are riding in the Pan Mass Challenge - well, the 7th annual Tri-Town Pan Mass Challenge Kids Ride. They may not be riding 211 miles over two days, but they're still helping fight cancer.

Joanne Whall, mother of 3-year-old Kieran Whall, who was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in February, said she didn’t even know there was a kids version of the Pan Mass Challenge. When she received the call from Tri-Town PMC Kids Ride founder Chas Luca saying that Kieran was selected to be the Pedal Partner for this year's event, Joanne said her family was ecstatic.

“We’re just excited to be a part of it and to have our community understand what the Pan Mass Challenge is and how people can support people going through cancer and people that have been through cancer and also just to raise awareness,” Joanne Whall said.

“Everybody we know is affected by cancer somehow,” Whall said.

The Tri-Town PMC Kids Ride takes placeSaturday, June 24, at the Irish Cultural Center, 200 New Boston Drive, Canton. From a short obstacle course for tricycles to a 10-mile trek, the PMC Kids Rides vary in terrain and mileage.

When Kieran was diagnosed, he went directly into Children’s Hospital in Boston for 35 days. While in the hospital, Kieran received treatment to fight the leukemia cells, and, once released, Kieran continued with his testing and went into remission. Doctors told the Whall family that there was no leukemia in any of his bone marrow, which is where the cancer starts.

Now Kieran has to undergo two years of treatment to prevent the leukemia from returning. All of the treatment happens at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at the Jimmy Fund Clinic.

“Right now, we’re just attacking each obstacle as it comes and trying to keep a smile on our faces, and it's pretty easy when you can still see Kieran and his sister act as kids and try to enjoy normal everyday activities, going to the park, going to the pool, playing outside. He’s still doing all of that stuff, he’s still very active,” Whall said.

Kieran loves hockey the most, but Whall said he “goes with the season” and right now he’s into baseball, lacrosse and golf.

“He’s just your typical boy,” Whall said.

Whall said her family is excited about the event and raising awareness about pediatric cancer.

“Kids love to be outside, kids love to ride their bikes, ride their scooters and I think that this event is just so awesome to let kids have fun but also raise awareness, raise some money for a great cause," she said. “It's awesome to know that people are there to support."

“The support that we have gotten throughout this whole battle has been incredible and just to know that it’s the whole South Shore it's not just Canton it's not just my immediate family, it goes all the way to the Cape. We know so many people who have just stepped up,” Whall said.

Luca said it's called the Tri-Town ride but it’s not limited to three towns. This year if kids can’t make it to the physical ride, they can ride virtually on the same day or a different day in their own neighborhoods. Luca said the fundraiser is already on track to reach its 2023 goal of $28,000. 

The registration fee is $20 and the kids raise a minimum of $40 per rider. There will be cornhole games and water balloon contests. The ride itself is 90 minutes. Kids typically ride for someone in their family, Luca said. The adult PMC ride has raised $65 million to date. When Luca started the event, the mission was to "get kids active in fundraising and to keep kids active in their community."

“To me it’s less about the money and more about getting kinds engaged in a community service event and having fun,” Luca said.

People can make donations towards riders on Facebook. Each rider is awarded a certificate of appreciation in addition to a PMC T-shirt and goodie bag.

David Rudnick has been involved with the Pan Mass Challenge as a rider for 10 years. He has been a co-coordinator for the Tri-Town kids ride for the last couple of years. Rudnick said kids who start early with the ride will grow older and want to do the adult Pan Mass Challenge.

“Kids will learn at a young age how important it is to do a charity ride such as this one,” Rudnick said.

Rudnik said he knows a lot of people who have been treated at Dana Farber and the patient care there is “second to none.”

Aside from the groundbreaking research, Rudnick said the communication from the doctors is great. He said the staff at Dana Farber help families park their cars, and really tend to the patients and they “make their patients their number one priority.”

“It’s the little things that they do,” Rudnick said.

For more information visit kids.pmc.org/tritown.

Reach Joel Barnes at jkbarnes@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Tri-Town Pan Mass Challenge Kids Ride in Canton