Framingham’s Krysta Kalajian, 17, an honoree in the PanMass Challenge

With chemotherapy and radiation therapy finally behind her, Kalajian, now 17, has been able to resume hip-hop and jazz dance classes and compete on Framingham High School’s gymnastics team. For the second consecutive year, she has also been named a Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Pedal Partner.

On Saturday, the PanMass Challenge is hosting a party at Fenway Park for about 130 of its Pedal Partners, their families, and the men and women who will be riding this summer in honor of the young cancer patients. The 31st annual PMC’s 190-mile ride from Sturbridge to Provincetown will take place Aug. 7 and 8, raising money for cancer care and research through the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund.

“When I found out I had cancer, I was really scared. School was always a big part of my life, and I didn’t want to miss any of it,’’ said Kalajian, who received extra tutoring so she can graduate with her classmates on June 6. She is looking forward to studying fashion design at Syracuse University in the fall, and remains thankful for the support she continues to receive. About 20 cyclists on the Franklin-based Team PHAT Tuesday will ride in the PMC in her honor.

“It’s a really good feeling to know that somebody is riding for you. They don’t understand everything you’ve been through, but they know it’s bad, and they want to help so other people don’t have to go through it,’’ she said. “That’s really cool.’’

For more information, call 800-WE-CYCLE or visit www.pmc.org.

FROM THE TOP: For three years, 10-year-old Noah Umberto Kelly (above) has volunteered to play the violin for residents of the Sophia Snow House, a retirement community in Boston. Wanting to hire a pianist to sound more professional, the fourth-grader at the Jackson School in Newton recently applied for a grant from the Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Awards program, which provides funding for music-based community projects in Greater Boston.

Even though the honorable mention he received doesn’t include a cash award, Noah said he will continue recruiting friends to join him in performing concerts for elders. He credits William Thomas, former artistic director of Project STEP (String Training and Educational Program) in Boston, with inspiring his love of community service.

Noah receives music instruction through Project STEP, a string training program for African-American and Latino children who demonstrate exceptional musical talent and interest.

“Mr. Thomas changed my life forever by introducing me to the violin. It’s a beautiful instrument,’’ said Noah, who was flattered on a recent visit to the retirement home when a resident asked to have her picture taken with him, saying she feels like he is her grandson.

“They love classical music and give us a lot of compliments. I want to cheer them up in case they’re lonely or if something happened in their life. I feel great when I make them happy.’’

BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS: Marlborough resident Laura Lorenz was shocked and heartbroken when her brother, Robin Lorenz, committed suicide at age 29. Years later, her research into brain injuries led her to wonder whether the multiple concussions he suffered as an elite junior hockey player in the 1960s and 1970s contributed to the mental illness that spurred him to end his life in 1989.

Lorenz turned the research for her doctoral dissertation into a book, “Brain Injury Survivors: Narratives of Rehabilitation and Healing.’’ On Thursday at 7:30 p.m., she will talk about her findings during a presentation at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street in Newton Centre.

In her book, Lorenz chronicles the experiences of three people with brain injuries of differing severity, two caused by accidents and one by a tumor. They are also at various stages of emotional healing, coping with anger, frustration, and confusion while finding new purpose and meaning in life.

During her presentation, Lorenz will discuss research and services surrounding traumatic brain injury, which she said affects 1.4 million people each year, plus thousands of military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Other causes of brain injury include stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia.

“I’ve known quite a few brain injury survivors over the years, and learning about their experiences has made me realize just how much their lives are affected,’’ said Lorenz, who holds a joint appointment at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management as program manager for executive education, and senior research associate in the school’s Institute for Behavioral Health. “I hope people will feel more empathetic toward survivors and understanding of what they go through.’’

For more information, call the Newton Free Library at 617-796-1360 or go to www.newtonfreelibrary.net.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE BOOK TOUR: When C.J. West (above) began planning a tour to support his new book, “Gretchen Greene,’’ the Wrentham resident decided to host a series of adventures that his story’s protagonist, poker player Randy Black, would enjoy.

The “Who Wants to Be a Hero?’’ tour features a day in a fast-paced newsroom, private winery tour and tasting, wine and cheese social, firearms training, country fair, and Texas hold ‘em lessons, with upcoming sites including the Westport Rivers winery in Westport, and the Admiral Fitzroy Inn in Newport, R.I., which have been used by West as settings for his stories.

“Gretchen Greene’’ is West’s fourth novel and third in his Randy Black thriller series.

“When I’ve done book signings at a book store, people have sometimes been hesitant to say hello,’’ West said. “This way, people will spend two or three hours getting to know me. My goal is to break down those barriers and really connect with my readers and fans.’’

For more information about C.J. West’s book tour, go to www.22wb.com.

People items may be submitted to Cindy Cantrell at cantrell@globe.com.