I am so excited to ride the Pan-Mass Challenge for the first time this August. I have heard a lot about the PMC since I moved to the Boston area in 2014, and am delighted to finally be able to participate in this incredible fundraising effort, where 100% of rider-raised revenue will directly support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's efforts to cure cancer.

First and foremost, I am participating in the PMC in memory of and in honor of my maternal grandparents, Mary Jane Adair and Frederick Adair. My grandmother Mary Jane passed away in October after a fight with pancreatic cancer. She was a devoted and involved grandmother who took great interest in my life, supporting me at recitals, soccer games, and graduations throughout my life. She was also a breast cancer and ovarian cancer survivor. My grandfather Fred, who is almost 90 years old, is living life to the fullest despite a prostate cancer diagnosis he received last year. He is planning travel to a new continent, volunteering, writing letters, and charming and delighting everyone who meets him.

I am also excited to ride the PMC because I am a longtime cyclist, and am looking forward to the physical challenge of riding 200 miles over 2 days. I bought a road bike during the summer of 2016, and have loved using it to explore the greater Boston area. In 2017, I challenged myself to train for a century (100 mile) bike ride, which I completed in October 2017. In 2018, my cycling goal was to do a bike-packing trip; my boyfriend and I enjoyed a very fun (if somewhat rainy) 130-mile bike trip in May 2018 where we cycled to the New Hampshire border, camped on a beach, and then biked back to Boston the next day. This year, I have set my sights on the PMC, and will be using every free weekend to train and prepare for the ride.

Finally, this August will mark five years since I moved to the Boston area, which has quickly become a second home to me. I think there is no better way to celebrate this milestone than by participating in this uniquely Boston event enabled by the incredible research work happening here, the inspiring community of athletes, and Massachusetts' mild topography.

Cancer has touched many people in my life and my extended circles, and I am thrilled to have the chance to ride the PMC in honor of, in memory of, and alongside these people. I sincerely appreciate your support!