Pan Mass Challenge 2025

Dear family and friends,

I have signed up for my 16th year to ride my bike in the Pan-Mass Challenge. On Saturday August 2, I will ride along with 6,500 other cyclists in the PMC, an annual bike ride that raises money for research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. We ride to both honor those who have survived, and to remember those who have passed away from cancer. This year will be my final ride with PMC, and I will be doing a reimagined ride through the Alaskan shore line and mountains.

Why I ride

My journey with the PMC started sixteen years ago because I was both inspired by my friend and tired. I was tired of losing loved ones, tired of friends leaving this world too soon, tired of family members not seeing their children and grandchildren grow. I was tired of cancer inflicting pain on too many people and I wanted to help make a difference.

While there are many people who I will continue to recognize during my ride this year, and whose names will adorn my jersey, I will be dedicating my ride this year to a young boy, Declan Vail, who has been dealing with brain cancer since he was three, having gone through 18 months of chemo, 3 brain surgeries, and many more doctor's visits, MRI's, and seizures than can be counted. Declan and his family have been working with Dr Pratiti (Mimi) Bandopadhayay who is a neuro oncologist at Dana Farber. She is working on finding a cure for Declan's specific type of cancer. Funding for her work is more important now than ever before. 100% of my fundraising dollars raised this year will be allocated to Dr Mimi and her research.

My Nana died of a brain tumor in 1976 at the age of 69. This was my first time dealing with the loss of a loved one due to cancer.

Lonnie Stanley provided my first inspiration to ride the PMC. Lonnie was a dear friend from Pennsylvania who enjoyed life to its fullest. She and her husband Bob, Koko and I spent many times together with our families. Lonnie passed away from multiple myeloma in 2014. I promised her I would do this ride for as long as I am able; Bob now rides with me each year.

I ride in memory of Eunice Nunziato a friend with whom many moments were shared, especially during the Christmas holidays as we would sing carols from house to house with our families. Eunice passed away in June 2011 from brain cancer. Her son-in-law Scott now rides with me.

I began riding for Frederic Richard, my friend from Vienna, Austria in the 2012 PMC. Frederic was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2011. He passed away during PMC in 2013. My tears flow each year I ride past the sand dunes overlooking Marconi Beach in Wellfleet as this was one of the last places that Koko and I were with Frederic and his wife, Yvonne.

I ride in memory of Deb Murray, a friend from Pennsylvania who was diagnosed in September 2014 with breast cancer. Sadly, Deb succumbed to her disease in October 2016. She was inspiring to the end with the dignity, grace, and humor with which she demonstrated. Sadly, her husband Tom Murray passed away in August 2020 from brain cancer.

I ride in honor of Pete Schommer an old colleague and friend who in late 2019 underwent surgery and treatments for colon cancer. Pete has been a supporter of this event from the beginning. When he called me and asked if I would place his name on my jersey, I didn’t hesitate.

David Stepzinski, my brother-in-law who passed away April 11, 2020, following his two-year battle with leukemia. And I ride in honor of my sister-in-law, Linda Stepzinski who has been treated for leukemia.

I ride for my mom Joyce Crossley, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2018 and passed away January 13, 2020. Her passing still hurts.

Mike Cole. Mike was my manager at ZOLL Medical where I work. Mike passed away January 2, 2022, after a courageous battle with colon cancer. He was a young, vibrant, enthusiastic, fun, and caring man who left us too soon. He is sorely missed.

Karen Johansen passed away in July 2022 after an extended bout with pancreatic cancer. Karen was a remarkable person; a philanthropist who gave to many organizations, a person who was keenly interested in the work and activities of others, she listened with the intent to learn and understand what was happening in others’ lives, and she was fun and had an infectious laugh, just a pleasure to be around.

Debbie O'Brien. Debbie passed away April 19, 2023 after an 18 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was a dear friend from Pennsylvania who had a zeal for life; she lit up a room with her smile and sense of humor, and her dinner parties which she hosted with Ken were legendary! Debbie will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

I ride because I will never forget any of these people nor the feeling of joy, camaraderie and sense of purpose felt during every mile we pedal. Each year, thousands of supporters come out along the route holding signs, playing music, offering water, a popsicle or even a hose to cool the riders down, all the while thanking us for riding our bikes. There is a mutual respect for the supporters. Hearing their cheers echoing in the distance up a hill, knowing that there may be a 7-year-old child holding a sign that reads, “Thank you riders, because of you I'm alive” is all the motivation needed to continue hammering the pedals. We are all in this together. I ride because I can. The PMC, however, is more than just a ride. It has become part of the fabric of what defines me, who I am; caring, purposeful, determined and loving.

I hope I can count on your support

The PMC raises more money for charity than any other single athletic event in the country, $1.1 BILLION since 1980 and $75 million last year alone! This success is the result of many people riding for, and caring about finding a cure. Every dollar makes a difference, and 100% of your donation goes to DFCI.

Be part of history, join the cause!

This year I've made a personal commitment to raise $25,000. I hope you can help me achieve this goal. Last year, your support helped me raise over $30,000 and after 15 years of the PMC and two years of the Winter PMC, I am proud to say that we have raised over $244,000! We will be hitting a quarter million dollars raised after this year! I'm grateful for your generosity and continuous support.

Let me know if you’d like me to add the name of a loved one to my jersey; I’ll be proud to honor them too.

Please donate to my PMC ride using the following link:

www.pmc.org/DC0287

100% of your donation will go to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Donations of any size are important, EVERY donation matters. To learn more about the Pan-Mass Challenge, please visit www.pmc.org.

On behalf of the staff and patients at DFCI, cancer patients around the world for whom Dana-Farber research is impacting, and all our collective aspirations for a world without cancer, thank you.

Together, we are closer by the mile.

Doug