Hello all,
It’s that time of year again. The 45th Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) is August 3-4. This will be my 33rd ride since 1990 and 26th consecutive year. As you may have read in the paper, as of mid-July the PMC hit a milestone of $1 billion dollars raised since 1980 with a goal this year of $75 million. Note that the PMC donates 100% of every rider raised dollar to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Riders pay a registration fee to cover PMC costs to run the event. Most importantly, the PMC fundraising represents over 60% of the annual Jimmy Fund fundraising and the Dana Farber Cancer institute has helped develop more than half of all cancer therapies approved by the FDA over the last 5 years. Your dollars matter - a lot!
This year I am writing about our long-time friend Bobby D. Bobby has been a long-time competitor and teammate on the basketball court, softball and whiffle ball fields and on the golf course. In the summer of 2022 he noticed some swelling on his neck and his doctor suggested it was something to monitor but not immediately worry about. The swelling did not diminish over the course of the next month and a biopsy of one of his lymph nodes confirmed his worst fear, throat cancer. He was advised that his cancer was very slow moving, had not spread and surgery and radiation would be a successful course of treatment. In September of 2022 surgery was peformed at Mass General where 40 lymph nodes were removed from his neck. Following the surgery he was to be treated with radiation but after 7 treatments he was experiencing unexpected pain and discomfort in his back and shoulder muscles. The pain and discomfort was so severe he could barely pick anything up. Confident enough that the cancer had not spread, his doctors ended the radiation treatments. It’s been almost two years since the surgery and thankfully, so far so good. My group of friends have played a lot of recreational basketball, softball and golf together over the last 40 years. Bobby D was always my toughest competitor on the basketball court. We had many great games against one another where he often came out on top. His fight against cancer however is a much bigger win. You should know that he is beating cancer while he has also been beating Parkinson’s Disease. My most basic definition of his type of Parkinson’s is a lack of dopamine to the brain causing noticeable physical tremors. I witnessed his frustration last summer on the golf course as his right hand shook uncontrollably while he attempted a putt. But he never complained. Diagnosed in 2019, in December of 2023 he took another step in defeating Parkinson’s by undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation surgery or DBS. DBS surgery involves brain surgery where two metal wires or electrodes are surgically placed in the brain and then a monitor (think pacemaker) is surgically placed in the chest to send signals to the brain to replace the normal dopamine function. Almost 8 months removed from the surgery, Bobby’s health is vastly improved to the point where his tremors have been reduced by almost 75% and he has been able to play some basketball and golf again. While unrelated to cancer fundraising, I wanted to pass along Bobby’s incredible success story of staving off his throat cancer while combating Parkinson’s Disease. Bobby is to be recognized and lauded for his toughness and courage.
Here is an update on some friends I have written about in the past who have benefited from your research dollars directed to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Last year I told you Peggy Perry’s cancer story. Recall that Peggy went through treatment for throat and neck cancer. Peggy remains cancer free with a milestone test next month. She continues to participate in a follow-up study researching how the HPV virus can mutate into cancer. A research paper is due to be published soon. Two years ago I wrote about friend Jim who had undergone treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Jim just underwent knee replacement surgery but remains cancer free. I’ve written about my brother Kirk, a prostate cancer survivor who was on a monthly regiment of a drug called Zytega as his prostate cancer had spread to a few “hot spots” in his back. The Zytega worked and he no longer has the hot spots and no longer takes Zytega. Friend Fitzy who lost his first wife to breast cancer has a son who is a cancer survivor and also remains in remission. His daughter was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy but left the hospital the day of her surgery and is in remission. In 2017, I wrote about 7 year old Taylor who was being treated for leukemia. This past spring I smiled with joy when I saw her photo in the sports section of the Boston Globe as a high school field hockey player celebrating a big goal with her teammates. Friend Roseanne who lost her sister 25 years ago to cancer and herself is a two time cancer survivor had a tumor removed that due to new science was removed via targeted surgery and diagnosed as not needing chemotherapy. Multiple friends have had melanoma treatments for skin cancer that have all been successfully treated. Fran's two brothers and long time PMC riding partners Tom and Larry are also survivors. These are first hand accounts proving how much your research dollars matter.
The book I referenced last year by Kristina Marusic, The New War on Cancer” has been extremely helpful in understanding how cancer is prevalent in our lives. I highly recommend the book; here are a few notes from her book.
“The overall death rate for all cancer types declined 32% between 1991 and 2019. Many more children survive cancer today than in the past. Survival rates for both childhood lukemia and childhood brain cancer, the two most common forms of cancer in children are approximately 85% and 70% respectively. The American Cancer Society estimates that there were 16.9 million cancer survivors in the US as of 2019 or about 5% of the population. However, survival comes with an emotional cost. Successful treatment is not easy. Loss of hair, side effects like nausea, vomiting, pain, behavioral problems and emotional strain and anxiety that carries on for years well into adulthood. “
A few words on my training this year. Not as good as last year but not bad. Just a lot of very HOT rides. I start my training as weather permits doing some short late winter and early spring rides and then average about 150-200 miles per month in April and May and then 250-300 in June and July. Staying in shape year round helps. I walk a lot in the winter months to keep the legs in shape. Happily my post ride recovery involves calorie replacement and I highly recommend naps!
Regarding the annual PMC hat giveaway, I realize a lot of you have too many PMC hats. If you want a t-shirt, please pass along your size. Also let me know if you don't want a hat.
The PMC fundraising required minimum for the Sturbridge to Provincetown ride is $6,000. When I started in 1990 it was $800. I am in for $2,000 with a goal of $10,000.
You all have been so extremely generous in your support of my PMC fundraising efforts. On behalf of those treated successfully because of your research dollars, all I can say is a very heartfelt thank you and i will continue doing this until I can’t.
Please use the link below to make a contribution to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute / Jimmy Fund.
http://pmc.org/egifts/DB0002
Hope to see you soon and enjoy the rest of your summer!
Sincerely,
Dave
Personal PMC facts and figures:
Since 1990 32 rides. Note that our route has changed slightly and the previous 192 mile route is now 186.
Ride number 33 - August 3 - Leaving Sturbridge at 530 AM across the hills of central MASS (there are a bunch of them!) to the Mass Maritime Academy - 102 miles. August 4 - Over the Bourne Bridge at 515 AM, along the canal bike bath to Sandwich and then across Cape Cod (more hills than you would imagine!) on to Provincetown - 84 miles.
PMC miles after this ride approximately +6,250.
Bicycles - 4. Last years new bike is awesome. Very comfortable. Note the my PMC bike number 2 has been lent out to a new PMC rider and my previous commuter bike has also been lent out for it’s first PMC ride so I’ll have 3 bikes participating … and Fran calls me a hoarder, ha!
Bicycle helmets - at least 6 (they are supposed to replaced every 3-5 years).
Bicycle riding accidents - 3 serious that could have been worse - luckily only bumps, scrapes and bruises, bike and helmet damage. 2 caused by human jerks and one from a scurrying chipmunk.
Flat tires used to average about 0-2 per year. None again so far this year! It’s been a while so knocking on wood. Proper tire care helps
Training miles at least 26,000. 800 this year as of today.
Total Funds raised for the Jimmy Fund after this year ~ $180,000.