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Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition First Annual Bike for Prevention Bike-A-Thon to Feature Professional Mountain Bike Athlete Jen Hanks

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Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) is hosting its first Annual Bike for Prevention Bike-A-Thon virtually on a local and national scale from Monday, April 19th, 2021 to Sunday, April 25th, 2021. The Bike-A-Thon will feature special guest Jen Hanks, an elite mountain bike racer and two-time breast cancer survivor. In 2011, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 invasive breast cancer. Less than two years after completing her treatments, she was diagnosed with an axillary recurrence. Over the course of her treatment, Jen has undergone a total of ten surgeries, two rounds of chemotherapy, and radiation. Jen considers herself an environmentalist and feels there is an urgent need to increase awareness of and reduce/eliminate environmental carcinogens. Hanks comments "I am so incredibly honored to be the guest of honor for MBCC's Bike for Prevention Ride. Currently, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. I was one of those women when at 35 years old I was diagnosed with breast cancer and two years later had a recurrence. Like most women, I will never know why I developed breast cancer, however I speculate an environmental exposure played a role. What makes MBCC’s mission so unique is that they are focused on preventing breast cancer. Through their work of finding the environmental causes of breast cancer and stopping it before it starts, I am hopeful that far fewer people will face a breast cancer diagnosis in the future".

Cheryl Osimo, MBCC’s Executive Director, says “We are very excited and grateful to Jen who has agreed to support this new event, especially since she understands the challenges that come with breast cancer and the importance of raising awareness of cancer-causing agents in the environment. It is our hope that others will be inspired by her story, resilience, and activism, and join her and MBCC in biking to raise funds for breast cancer prevention starting April 19th.”

Participants can ride 1 mile or more, either outdoors on their favorite route or indoors on a stationary bike. For those interested who do not have a bike, MBCC invites them to participate on foot and either walk or run any distance of their choosing. All registered participants will receive a free t-shirt. Registration opens Monday, November 16, 2020.

Registration for this virtual Bike-A-Thon is: $40 for Individuals, $150 for Families (up to 5 members), and $25 for Students. All proceeds from the event will benefit breast cancer prevention.

To learn more about registration options or to make a pledge, please visit www.mbcc.org/bike or by calling1-800-649-MBCC (6222).
About MBCC: Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition is the state's leading breast cancer organization dedicated to preventing the environmental causes of breast cancer through community education, research advocacy, and changes to public policy.