Since the death of his grandmother from cancer 10 years ago, Scarborough native Brian York has been trying to find a way to make a difference and support cancer research.

This summer he will take part in the Pan-Mass Challenge, a two-day bike-a-thon that raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Each rider must raise a minimum of $500 and can choose between rides of varying lengths.

York has already raised $4,260 for the Aug. 1-2 event but anyone who would like can still make a donation to support his ride at www2.pmc.org/profile/by0014.

“I’m not a doctor, miracle worker or hero. However, for those who know me, they understand I have never been one to sit around when something can be accomplished,” York says on his fundraising page.

He plans to participate in the 180-mile ride, which runs from Sturbridge to Wellesley, Mass., and has been hard at work training for the upcoming bike-a-thon.

The Pan-Mass Challenge raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country. During the past 35 years the challenge has raised $455 million for adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber.

In addition, last year cyclists traveled from 38 states and five countries to ride in the challenge, and more than 300 riders were cancer survivors or current patients.

“Most PMC participants ride in honor of a family member or friend fighting the disease,” the event’s website says. “Cyclists range in age from 13 to 80 (and the) average PMC cyclist trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors and raises more than $7,400.”

Like most riders participating in the Pass-Mass Challenge, the event is personal for York, who lost his grandmother, Bette York, in 2005, and a close family friend, Becky Philbrick, in 2009.

He first heard about the challenge from a friend and said, “I figured this would be a challenging but rewarding experience to remember those affected (by cancer).”

York graduated from Scarborough High School in 2007 and earned a degree from Merrimack College in 2011.

He works for an Internet marketing company in Burlington, Mass., but spends most of his weekends riding the Eastern Trail in southern Maine.

See www.pmc.org for more information on the Pan-Mass Challenge, including volunteering opportunities.

Scarborough native Brian York is training to take part in this year’s Pan-Mass Challenge, a fundraiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Courtesy photo

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