I hope all is well and you're enjoying summer! I'm very excited to hit the pavement for the 9th consecutive year riding the PMC. The event is the first weekend in August - I'll be participating in the 2-day route finishing in Provincetown, MA, as usual. As a reminder, 100% of every rider-raised dollar is donated to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
My ride remains dedicated to pediatric cancer research – Children's Brain Tumor Research at Dana Farber. Still, only a very small percentage (<5%%) of total cancer research funds raised nationally are dedicated to pediatric cancers – the result is limited and often outdated treatment options for children. Research using PMC funding has resulted in some great progress - targeted therapies with real promise to be safer and help more kids. Here is a good summary of the program https://www.danafarberplga.org/ - I've also included an update below from our pedal partner, Willa. Your support is really making a difference!!!
Tax-deductible donations are simple with a credit card or Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund:
- Go to my profile page http://profile.pmc.org/AA0115
- Donation options are on the left side of the page
- To pay by:
- Credit Card, click a donation amount or “Donate any amount”
- Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, click “DAFpay”
- Venmo is also an option, click "Venmo"
- Follow instructions to complete
Thank you so much for your consideration and ongoing support. It is truly a privilege to ride for this great cause!
Best regards,
Anand
p.s. I am only sending to past supporters or those who requested the info. If you prefer a different email address or would like to be removed, please let me know!
PMC's tax ID / EIN is 04-2746912
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A Message From Our Pedal Partner’s Dad, Chris Mooney
Dear Friends -
As the Pan-Mass Challenge approaches, our family wants to thank you for participating in this year's event and more importantly, for rallying around our daughter and your pedal partner, Willa. We also want to provide an update on how our girl is doing.
This coming October will mark six years since Willa's diagnosis—an event that changed the course of our lives in ways we could not have imagined. From an outsider's perspective, Willa is a typical twelve-year-old: spending time with friends and family, playing lacrosse and basketball, babysitting her siblings, and even cooking a mean waffle breakfast. She exudes joy, has an uncanny ability to attend to others, and has a sense of humor that lightens any room. Yet, what the outsider does not see are the enormous challenges that accompany having a brain tumor at such a young age. We've lost count of the number of trips we've made to Dana Farber for MRIs, oncology, neurology, endocrinology, and ophthalmology appointments. It is never-ending, and a lot to handle.
The endless stream of doctor visits, health monitoring, and prescription medications sometimes feels routine. We've become adept at navigating the complex healthcare system and max out our health deductible quickly. I suspect this sense of routine is largely due to Willa doing relatively well. During our last visit to Dana Farber, her MRI and vision loss showed stability, which is excellent news. However, we also discovered that some of her endocrinology markers were suboptimal, likely due to various factors, including her lengthy chemotherapy regimen that ended several years ago. While certainly manageable, I’ll admit this news hit me hard, as it highlights how treatment, while invaluable for suppressing tumor growth, can have harmful effects. So, as we have been doing, we will continue to monitor her health closely, taking one day at a time, hoping that her tumor remains stable or, better yet, we identify a treatment that can cure her of this disease.
Thanks to you and directly due to the PMC funds raised for pediatric brain tumor research we are making progress! Just this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to a new drug for treating kids with low-grade gliomas. This incredible breakthrough owes its success directly to the PMC, though the drug is effective only in tumors with a specific genetic signature—unfortunately, Willa's tumor does not possess this signature. But this is why we ride—to better the lives of children like Willa and countless others, enhancing treatment options and offering them a brighter future free from the severe complications of toxic treatments. I can't think of a better motivator.
I cannot express enough gratitude for your unwavering support of Willa and our family. The thought of you all rallying behind our girl fills me with immeasurable strength and hope, and I am profoundly grateful. Like you, I will be riding the PMC in support of Willa and kids like her. Willa will make an appearance at the Lakeville Pedal Partner tent along with her family. She's looking forward to seeing her dedicated supporters and giving you all high-fives, ice cold wash cloths, and hugs. I will be sure to do the same.
Sending much love to each and every one of you. Be well and ride safe.
Chris (Willa's Dad)
Photo of Willa from last year with a few members of our team: