Dear Family and Friends,

First, I want to thank you for your past support of my Pan Mass Challenge bike rides to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I am humbled and proud to have raised over $100,000 for Dana-Farber since I began participating in this annual event in 2017. If you’re interested in learning more about the PMC’s impact since 1980, please click here: Impact | Pan-Mass Challenge (pmc.org).

My fellow riders and good friends, Tom, John, and Sam and I have been impacted by cancer striking more of our close friends and family each year, and we are reminded of the ongoing importance of this cause.

This spring, my wife Christine was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Fortunately, her cancer was detected through her routine mammogram screening, and she underwent successful surgery in May, followed by scheduled radiation treatments this summer. We are so thankful that the care she is receiving is based on the many years of breast cancer research at Dana-Farber and other leading cancer centers.

This year, I am dedicating my ride to the memory of my dear friend Dave A, who passed away in March just days after his 62nd birthday following a three-year battle with a rare meningioma brain tumor. Dave and I met in college when we were 18 years old and have been good friends ever since. Despite surgery, radiation, and limited treatments, he exhausted all treatment options last fall. Before his treatment ended, Dave participated in a research clinical trial to test a new meningioma treatment where Dana-Farber was an active clinical trial site. Dave and his family are in our thoughts each and every day.

Last year, I lost my sister-in-law Cindy Fitzpatrick to a glioblastoma brain tumor on Father’s Day shortly after her 62nd birthday. I dedicated my 2023 PMC ride to her memory. Cindy was treated for her cancer at Dana-Farber. My brother, nephew, and our family miss her dearly.

I ask that you please consider sponsoring my 8th consecutive PMC ride this August which will equally support two specific research funds at Dana-Farber: (1) Dr. Patrick Wen's Neuro-oncology/brain tumor research fund Center for Neuro-Oncology | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute so that future patients like Dave and Cindy have a fighting chance to survive well past the age of 62; and (2) The Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research Barr Program Research Advancements - Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (jimmyfund.org) which has led to numerous discoveries across a number of cancer types including blood, brain, breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, pediatric, and prostate cancers.

I am riding as a member of PMC Team Crank, and all of the money that we raise will be matched by The Warren Alpert Foundation, up to a maximum of $500,000. Last year, as a team, we raised in excess of $1,000,000 for Dana Farber! I anticipate that your donation to my ride this year will be nearly doubled and half will go directly to the neuro-oncology research fund and half will go directly to The Claudia Adams Barr Program at Dana-Farber!

On August 3rd and 4th, I will also ride the 170 miles in honor of those affected by cancer to whom I have dedicated prior years’ PMC rides, including Aunt Sandy, Uncle Tony, Henry, Hillary, and Jack, as well as to those diagnosed this past year, specifically my good friend Chris.

Including the Warren Alpert Foundation match, I have set my fundraising target this year at $40,000. My wife Christine and I dearly appreciate the importance of cancer research in our own lives and have made a $1,000 donation in sponsorship of my ride. With your help and generosity, I am certain to reach this year's goal. No donation is too small and can be made directly on my PMC sponsorship page: http://profile.pmc.org/MF0296 or by check made payable to PMC sent to my home address (48 Harrison Street, Newton, MA 02461).

Note that all PMC donations are tax deductible and 100% will go to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The Pan-Mass Challenge only uses your personal information to thank you and will not share it with any other organizations.

Thank you for supporting my ride through your thoughts, words, and especially your sponsorship, and for supporting the good cause of continuing the fight against cancer via Dana-Farber!

Warm regards,

Mark Fitzpatrick