Dear Friends & Family:

I will be riding the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) once again this August, #18. While last year was literally a one in a billion experience—the PMC crossed the milestone of $1Billion raised since 1980—this year’s ride and fundraising is arguably higher stakes. Impacts to funding for cancer research at the national level have begun to trickle down, along with other uncertainties triggered by some unforeseen economic policies, have had a chilling effect on overall fundraising. To that end, even the PMC, which has routinely smashed through annual fundraising goals for the better part of a decade, has only modestly increased its stated fundraising goal for 2025.

Despite that backdrop, I remain undaunted in my desire to raise the much-needed funds for the PMC, The Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber. This year I once again have the privilege to be the captain of my company’s team, MFS, and will join with more than 60 riders across various routes to earn your donations. I am also planning to ride my third PMC Unpaved in early October in the Berkshires. That ride, combined with the “classic” ride in August and the indoor PMC event I did at Fenway back in February, puts me in line for the PMC Trifecta (I’m too old to do the PMC Kids Ride-ha!). Clearly, as I lurch deeper into my 50s, I still like riding my bike.

I joke about age, but when it comes to the PMC, I’m reminded about thinking long term and the experiences I’ve had during my career in the investment industry. All-to-often the world around us gets wrapped up in the here and now, with a myopic focus on the short term—"what did the market do today”—but that really doesn’t matter. When it comes to funding cancer research, it is the long-term investment your donations make that will decide the future success rates of new therapies, better access and eventual cures. We invest for better outcomes—for retirement, for college, for financial security. We invest in cancer research for better outcomes too.

I thank you in advance and remember, your donations are 100% passed through to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and its fundraising arm, The Jimmy Fund, not to PMC overhead.

Please use the buttons to the left to donate through the PMC's site or reach out to me directly if you have any questions or would like to donate by check, 617-639-7220 / daniel.flaherty@comcast.net.

With gratitude,

Dan

PS: As I write every year, if it is simply not possible to donate this year, hopefully I'll catch you next year...