Almost three years ago, my five-year-old nephew Ethan was diagnosed with a rare and acute form of Leukemia. Over the next twelve months, Ethan stayed at Children’s Hospital in Boston for 5 consecutive months receiving many rounds of chemo and radiation. He battled pneumonia, and survived a stroke. Finally, he received a bone marrow transplant donated by his little brother Eliot. And after that, he lived in seclusion at his house for six months. He was brave and resilient through these demanding treatments, and that’s why we call him our SUPERHERO.

It was a difficult year for our families. It was hard to explain to my children Joey and Cassia the possibility of loosing Ethan. But nothing was as hard as the battle Ethan fought at the hospital, though, he didn't fight alone. He had armies of nurses and doctors at Children’s Hospital fighting with him. He also had allies at the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. And with their unmatched dedication and knowledge, they helped Ethan win his battle against cancer. Ethan is now cancer-free.

On August 7 and 8, I will join more than 5,000 other cyclists in the 31th Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, a bike-a-thon that raises money for cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Every dollar I raise will go to the Jimmy Fund / Dana Farber Cancer Institute…Every dollar.

I invite you to join me in this effort. Your tax-deductible donation, whether it’s $10, $20, $100, or $200, is greatly appreciated, and it will help ensure that the march toward defeating cancer continues.