Local Bicyclists to Remember Family Members in Weekend 'Tour de Cure' Ride

Kimberly Smith Charrette was at a local bike shop a few months ago when she came across a brochure for the , a nationwide cycling event to raise awareness of diabetes.

When she saw the date, the Wenham native and mother of four did a double-take. Just a week after Mother’s Day, May 22 was the birth date of her mother-in-law Phyllis Charrette as well as the third anniversary of the her mother-in-law's death from complications of diabetes.

“I turned to my stepdaughter Janna and said, ‘I can’t believe this,’” recalled Charrette. “This is a sign. And she looked at me and said, ‘We gotta do this.’”

So on Sunday, Charrette, Janna, daughter Sam, and Charrette’s sister-in-law Pam Eckmann will gather at 8 a.m. to begin their 62-mile tour of the North Shore that begins and ends at in Hamilton.

They will be among 50,000 riders in 80 tour events in 43 states who are riding to support the American Diabetes Association in its efforts to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of people with diabetes.

Charrette, an executive recruiter who has worked with the Joslin Diabetes Center and the UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Diabetes Center of Excellence, appreciates both the personal and the promotional value of the event.

“I want to convey to others, through my participation in this ride, not only my personal mission for my mother-in-law, but also my appreciation for the people in this field who have dedicated their careers to finding a cure — the researchers, the clinicians, the people with the passion to take the extra effort to make patients’ lives better.”

Also in the field that day, winding her way from Boxford to Topsfield to Beverly to Gloucester, will be Charrette's neighbor and friend Pam McGrath, a lifelong Hamilton resident and the head of the Dragonflies team. 

McGrath, who turned 50 this year, is the embodiment of the middle-age, fit-for-life aspect promoted by the event’s vendors and sponsors, such as Thin ‘n Trim, a North Shore family-run company that sells low-salt, low-fat deli meats.  (She’s also got a good sense of humor:  When Hamilton-Wenham Patch kidded her about the "Saturday Night Live" skit featuring Molly Shannon as the uncommonly fit 50-year-old who does splits and shouts, “Ahm FIFTY!” she laughed and said, “That’s me!”)

Think Locally, Act Globally

Like Charrette, McGrath’s mission is both personal and educational. She’s riding for family members who have struggled with diabetes, including her 96-year-old grandmother. Like Charrette, McGrath is hoping the ride will educate others.

She admits to wondering whether some people understand the scope of the disease and the damage it can cause.

“Diabetes is a life-changing and life threatening disease. It is something that diabetics have to think about and manage every day, all day. It affects such a large percentage of the population. So while there are many fundraisers for all different diseases, this one helps a very large group of people,” McGrath said.

For each woman, starting the dialogue about diabetes begins first in the family and in the community.

“Putting together a team is fun; participating in triathalons is fun; the day as a whole is fun; but it’s important to keep the message in front of people,” McGrath said. 

Said Charrette, “It's important to me that we're preparing for this event as a family. It's a fitting memorial to Phyllis and an opportunity to do something to raise money for research to find a cure for this disease.”