Why I Ride ...
My name is William Harwin, M.D. (Bill Harwin) and I am a Medical Oncologist practicing in Fort Myers, Florida. My wife Marilyn passed away of breast cancer at the age of 49 on December 1, 2006. She was diagnosed at age 37 and lived with metastatic disease (spread of the cancer) for over 6 years. My wife and her family are from the Boston area and during the course of her disease she received some of her care at Dana-Farber Cancer Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. Her oncologist at Dana-Farber was Eric Winer.Last year our family was once again stuck by cancer as my elderly father passed from a brain tumor. I myself am a five year plus survivor of malignant melanoma. One of my brothers is a survivor of prostate cancer so our family has been greatly affected by this dreadful disease.
As a physician who lost his wife to cancer and has spent his entire adult life treating patients with cancer I understand more than most of the importance of cancer centers of excellence. Dana Farber is a NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Center) member and one of the leading cancer institutions in the world. I have joined Dr. Eric Winer's team and all funds that I raise will go for breast cancer research at Dana-Farber.
I have been training for the Pan Mass Challenge bike race and will bike this year from Sturbridge to the end of Cape Cod In Provincetown over two days. I will ride 111 miles the first day and 81 miles the second day for a total of 192 miles over 2 days. This is the fourth consecutive year I am participating in the PMC and will be biking again with my sister in law Harriet Portman. I am doing the bike race to raise money to support the Dana-Farber Cancer Center. I have raised over $75,000 in these three years and hope to pass the $100,000 mark this year. Please join me and contribute to this important cause.
