This August I will be riding in my 11th Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). I will be riding two days - Sturbridge to Mass Maritime in Bourne on Saturday and Bourne to Provincetown on Sunday. This is the last year that the PMC will start in Sturbridge. Next year the start will move to Holy Cross in Worcester. Since 2007 100% of rider-raised revenue has gone directly to cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). I have set a fundraising goal of $14,542 which is what I need to reach $100,000 in lifetime PMC fundraising.

Tina is a nurse practitioner at DFCI and treats patients with multiple myeloma along side Dr. Ken Anderson and Dr. Nikhil Munshi. Tina has been recognized multiple times in the Boston Globe's Salute to Nurses for her outstanding work at DFCI (picture in gallery).

Once again I am a member of the Patriots Platelet Pedalers (PPP), the biggest team in the PMC. The money raised by the PPP is earmarked to support the research of Dr. Anderson's team and development of novel therapies. Through the PMC I have met a number of Tina and Ken's patients and have seen first hand the positive impact the money we raise has on them.

While the team's fundraising is restricted to this research, a recent quote from Dr. Anderson explains that our fundraising helps more than just those diagnosed with multiple myeloma:

Our ongoing progress together is helping patients with myeloma, as well as patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and many other cancers. There two major areas where we are as a PPP TEAM making great strides. First is the area of precision medicine-defining the abnormalities in cancer cells and in their environment which allow tumor cells to grow and survive in order to develop selective targeted new medicines. Since abnormal circuits are common to many cancers, new selective targeted medicines will be more effective, have fewer side effects, and help patients with a broad range of cancers.

* Did you know you can double your impact in seconds? Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees.