The New England Patriots invite fans to join Joe and Jen Andruzzi and hop on their bicycles to be a part of the Patriots Platelet Pedalers, the team's fundraising initiative to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The Patriots Platelet Pedalers is a sanctioned team in the Pan Massachusetts Challenge, a weekend-long charity bicycle ride to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Started in 1980, the Pan Mass Challenge is the largest charity bicycling event in the country, raising over $239 million for cancer research and treatment.
The Patriots Platelet Pedalers will work together to fund raise for Dana-Farber, with 100% of the money earmarked for Dr. Ken Anderson, the Kraft Family Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to support his multiple myeloma research and development of novel therapies. Last year, the Patriots Platelet Pedalers had 103 riders and raised over $616,000 for this cause.
The Kraft family has had a long affiliation with Dr. Anderson, supporting his efforts to find a cure for multiple myeloma through the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at Dana-Farber.
"The entire Patriots organization is very happy to support such an important cause," said Josh Kraft, president of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. "Cancer affects so many people and we would like to do our part in trying to find a cure for this horrific disease."
This year, former Patriots offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi and his wife, Jen, will serve as honorary co-captains as they ride as a part of the Patriots Platelet Pedalers. Andruzzi, a recent cancer survivor, along with his wife Jen, started the Joe Andruzzi Foundation to help in the fight to tackle cancer by funding cancer research; assisting cancer institutes in achieving the highest level of patient care possible and by providing financial assistance to cancer patients and their caregivers, helping to ease the burden treatment places on their lives. "
"The Joe Andruzzi Foundation is committed to helping others fight the toughest fight of their lives," said the Andruzzi's. "We are grateful for the care our family received and committed in doing what we can to help others in battling this disease."
For more information on how to ride in the Pan Mass Challenge with the Patriots Platelet Pedalers, please call 646-623-0906 or e-mail PatriotsPlateletPedalers@gmail.com.
