Collinsville Man Joins 190-Mile Ride for Cancer Cure

This weekend Robert Young will be on his bicycle, riding 190 miles toward a cure for cancer.

Young, 39, of Collinsville, is now in his sixth year of riding in the Pan Mass Challenge – a ride that raises funds for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

He started riding the Pan Mass Challenge in honor of his late father, Robert Young Sr. According to a profile on PMC.org, Young was sitting at Mass one Sunday when his father collapsed at the altar. Tests showed he had lung and testicular cancer and 16 years later, he was gone.

This year, Young will captain a group of 26 riders, all employees, clients or friends of Burns & McDonnell, an engineering firm where Young is a northeast regional manager. Initially called Team Courage after those fighting cancer, the team is now named Courage-Coneheads, after one team member wore a cone strapped to his helmet so others could easily locate him on the long ride. Member of the team still wear the cones.

And in addition to the training, Courage-Coneheads have been fundraising by doing everything from collecting pennies to creating jewelry and brewing their own IPAs to sell. The team hopes to make ‘heavy hitter’ status this year and raise $167,000 this year to bring its fundraising total to $500,000.

Find out more about PMC here. To donate, click here.