*Please see my complete apology at end of this letter if you were one of those supporters who because of an email snafu somehow didn't get my 2017 thank you letter. You all contributed over $20,000 towards my ride to help the Dana-Farber and your contribution was greatly apprecited.

Cancer does not rest, and neither can I. This summer I will participate in my 8th consecutive Pan Mass Challenge. A 200 mile charity ride to raise fund for Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I’m asking again for your support as I join over 6,000 other cyclists as we attempt to raise over $52 million in one August weekend.

Finishing my fourth PMC ride back in 2014

It’s been 9 years since my first cancer diagnosis and treatment. This will be my fourth-year participating as a cancer free “Living Proof” rider. But the fight goes on for millions of others. I have lost several friends to cancer since my first ride, including several fellow PMC riders. I have numerous friends and family currently undergoing cancer treatment. I doubt anybody reading this can say they have not been touched in some way by this insidious disease. I dream that someday everyone will be as fortunate as I have been. We have a way to go to get there, but progress can only be made with the kind of serious research being done at the Dana-Farber. Serious research takes serious money and the PMC takes in some serious money thanks to the dedicated riders and people like you supporting them. In the 35 year history of the PMC cyclists and their sponsors have been able to contribute over $598 million to fund cancer research at the Dana-Farber. My personal sponsors have contributed over $80,000.

All donations are tax deductible and eligible for most company matching programs. And most importantly, know that every single penny donated to a rider goes directly to life saving research being conducted at the Dana-Farber. Corporate and private underwriters cover the entire event overhead. Won’t you please consider a donation in any amount to help the Dana-Farber give others the same chance of survivorship they gave me?

Note: As I begin my fund raising for 2018 is has become evident that not everybody who contributed in 2017 received thanks. I used an online tool provided by the PMC and somewhere along the line the mailing list was truncated. My sincere apologies if you didn’t hear from me. I can let you know you were part of my army of supporters who contributed just over $20,000 to last year’s ride. I may just have to go to old school snail mail thank you notes this year.

Thank you,
Jim Coggeshall