On August 3-4, with a few old friends (in every sense of that phrase), I’ll do my best to complete a 168-mile bike route from Boston to Provincetown as part of the largest two day charity fundraiser in the United States.
Last year, the Challenge raised $73M; and all of the proceeds went directly to the brilliant cancer researchers at the Dana-Farber Hospital in Boston. The Challenge has been running since 1980, and after this year, it will have donated $1 Billion Dollars to cancer research.
It’s such an incredible event. There are thousands of volunteers, hundreds of corporate sponsors and innumerable people along the route who tout their years since treatment or more painfully reminding riders of family stories that are sadder.
I started riding PMC for our family's stories. My mom was in her early 40s when she survived a cancer through an experimental treatment. My mother-in-law was cured from an only recently discovered medicine. My father devoted his life to medical research and I saw a unique passion in his and his colleagues work. The Crowleys and Bravos got decades of family life as a result of cancer research.
It’s just great to have the opportunity to do this ride. I have my health, my own family waits at one of the rest stops to provide a clap when I need it and I have set of friends that shame me into semi-regular training (that should start soon). It does feel like more of a guy’s weekend than a march, but we quietly recognize that we are fortunate. Last year, our group raised nearly $50K.
To support me and cancer researchers, I hope that you’ll donate. Thank you so much – Bill
