Whenever someone has asked me throughout the past 16 years why I PMC, my answer has always been the same: My Dad.

My Dad was one of the early Pan Mass riders, joining the PMC in its 3rd year, when there were only a couple hundred riders using a paper map and self-packed snacks. They raised modest funds for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, but could never have imagined the $1 billion fundraising powerhouse the PMC would become. My Dad was a proud PMC rider when he met my mom, a PMC Heavy Hitter when my brother and I were born and growing up, and a PMC Board contributor when his dedication inspired my brother and me to first join him to ride 16 years ago.

This year, however, my Dad took on a different PMC title: Living Proof.

During PMC weekend last summer, my Dad was uncharacteristically unwell and, for the first time in over 40 years, was unable to physically participate in the PMC ride. The following week delivered stunning results to tests addressing concerns from a routine doctor's visit: Prostate Cancer.

A few weeks after his diagnosis, my Dad rode his 40th PMC ride virtually, continuing to support the Dana Farber despite this news. He also sought out doctors to evaluate his options, underwent surgery, and set a goal: riding in the 2025 Pan Mass Challenge. This goal was a guiding light through a stressful time, and now, following a successful surgery yielding clear margins, he and I are thrilled, relieved, and ready to kick off training for this summer’s PMC!

So many of us have loved ones who have been impacted by cancer and continue to fight this horrible disease. We are so fortunate that research and testing at facilities like the Dana Farber Cancer Institute continues to provide groundbreaking interventions, treatments, and cures that were previously not thought possible, and the Pan Mass Challenge plays a critical role in raising funds so that this research and patient care can continue. This year, the PMC's fundraising goal of $76 million is especially critical, with federal funding for cancer research getting cut.

As I saddle up again this year for my 16th PMC ride, I do so with renewed purpose and proudly pedal alongside my Dad, 41 year rider and the reason why I ride.