Dear Family and Friends,

During the first weekend of August 2020, I will be part of a team of employee cyclists representing my employer Lindenmeyr Munroe in an amazing fundraising event, the Pan Mass Challenge (“PMC”).

In early December 2017, I was introduced to the PMC when my employer announced its sponsorship of this event. I was immediately interested in learning all I could about the PMC, who it serves and why this event is important to my employer. I’ve learned this is an incredible fundraising effort which resonates with anyone who has known the sting of a life-threatening disease and specifically the illness or loss of someone with cancer.

The PMC raises money for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through an annual bike-a-thon that crosses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Challenge was founded in 1980 with the hope and aspiration to provide Dana-Farber's doctors and researchers with the necessary resources to discover cures for all cancers. For over 70 years the Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has been a world leader in life-changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care, providing the most advanced treatments available. Those of us in New York are familiar with Memorial Sloan Kettering who along with other world class organizations researching for a cure, receive much of their support from the generosity of people like us. We make a huge impact.

The sad truth is that few are those that have not been touched by a friend’s or family member’s fight against cancer. I have personally experienced family and close friends diagnosed with cancer who have benefitted by the dedication of the medical research community to find treatments and cures that have meant the difference between life and death. I also have personally known the loss of family and friends for whom the cures were not yet available.