Friends and Family,

I am a little late this year but am gearing up to ride my 12th Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). I want to start by thanking each of you for your support over the years. I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of the PMC and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to which every rider raised dollar goes to support. Cancer doesn’t care about race, color, creed, or political party. It impacts all of us and I believe calls for a unified front to defeat.

I have always been someone who looks for ways to bring people together. That has been harder to do the past few years given the political climate, but I am going to try anyway. Some believe the federal government should support research on things like cancer, and some don’t. I respect both opinions but if you don’t think the government should, that means we all as individuals need to step up personally to help support this kind of research. If you do think the government should support cancer research, it is not fake news that research funding has been drastically cut in a very blunt way that just doesn’t make sense. The way I see it, this puts us all in a place where we agree on something. Cancer research needs our personal support to continue making progress.

Here is the reality and why we need to step up to help. Below are the closing remarks from a speech given by PMC founder Billy Star a few weeks back that help put things into perspective:

My closing comments address this year’s record fundraising goal in a climate of economic uncertainty and with science under attack. The proposed 40% cut to the NIH budget would have a massive negative impact on Dana-Farber, $50 million this year, and as much as a $200 million over the next four years.

NIH grants fuel the science that saves lives. These funds do not sit in an endowment, they’re at work in the labs and clinics of the Longwood Medical Area. Losing those funds and/or the people who utilize them means stalling progress. Risking jobs. Slowing the momentum in our fight against cancer. This is not politics. This is personal. Because when federal support is under attack, patients are the ones who pay the price. That is why what you do – what we do – matters more than ever. We are the largest single contributor to Dana-Farber. And when others may pump the brakes, the PMC community needs to accelerate.

So yes, we ride to raise money. But as importantly, we ride to protect progress. We ride to defend hope. And we ride to ensure that nothing—and no one—stands in the way of our funding the cures for cancer. - Billy Star

As I prepare to ride 300 miles across Massachusetts starting August 1st, I hope I can count on your support. The minimum I need to raise to participate on the ride is $6000, and I can’t do this without your help. I appreciate that you have always come through for me and this year is no different.

Here is how to contribute:

Online: This page - you found it! http://www.pmc.org/DG0189

Mail: If you prefer to write a check, please make it out to the PMC, The Jimmy Fund, or Dana Farber Cancer Institute and send it to me at: 11 East St, Sudbury, MA 01776.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at davegrosso@hotmail.com or give me a call at (617)794-6695.

Thank you for your support and generosity!

Take care,

Dave