Pediatric cancers are not common: by definition they are a rare disease. That designation means very little to anyone who knows an affected child, but it has a major impact on the ability to raise funds for research on these diseases, including the type of brain tumor that Willa has.

Federal research dollars have always been hard to come by, particularly for pediatric cancers, but in our current political climate it has become increasingly impossible to sustainably fund this critical work.

The research dollars raised by the PMC each year are a lifeline for labs like Dr. Mimi's (Willa's oncologist and DFCI researcher). They directly support research projects for kids with low grade glioma, including a project aimed at understanding and treating Willa's disease--a project that would not be funded by traditional sources even in an optimal funding climate.

This year I'll ride my 8th PMC alongside my brother-in-law (Willa's Dad). Will you join us for 2025?