Thirty Years ago this year, in 1995, I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, I was 41 years old. That experience changed the entire arc of my career, my life, how I think about myself and how I think about others. The most overwhelming reaction by me was to all the family members, friends, colleagues, and even strangers, who reached out to give me support. I completely rethought what I was doing and what kind of person I wanted to be. My boyhood friend Bill Starr had created the 200-mile bike event called the Pan Mass Challenge to raise money for the Jimmy Fund for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston in 1980 and invited me to ride. 42 years later, on August 6-7, 2022, I rode to give back and pay forward.

Two years ago, on August 5-6, 2023, I rode with my 35-year-old son Travis. That he was committing to something that is bigger than himself made me so proud. As a father, to do this with my son was a dream come true. He doesn't know how inspirational he is. We both rode to fight cancer. Plus, he's helped his dad to get in shape.

This year I will be riding without Travis, but I won't be alone. I'll ride with a host of wonerful PMCers. I am doing the one-day, 84-mile ride from the Babson College Campus in Wellesley to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Bourne, where I will once again take part in the survivor's ceremony called Living Proof.

Please help me to do the PMC. I am going to ride, as I have from year-one, carrying a list of names that you will help me to create. Last year Travis and I rode wearing jerseys that my wife Diane created with the names of all the people you wanted me to honor. I am wearing that jersey in my new profile picture. If you want Diane to add names of persons to dedicate my ride to, just list them when you donate, call me, or send me an email. And tell me something about them.This ride is for them.

This is an unbelievable event. It has become the largest single fund-raising event in the world. Last year it raised over $75 Million, and went over the $1 BIllion mark since it's inception.100% of rider-raised revenue went directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure. This is Ride Number Four for me, and once again, I am hoping to make a difference.

To donate for my ride, go to: https://profile.pmc.org/DH0317. No donation is too small. Every penny counts. When you visit my individual site on the PMC site, you can learn more about the event and other ways you can help. I will be posting updates here and on my PMC site, where I can also post pix of those who you want me to remember. Please share this post with friends, and feel free to forward to those who you think might want to donate. Especially those who you think might want to add a name, or names, to my list. When you donate, tell something about those you want me to ride for.

If you want to, you can answer me right here on Facebook with names, pictures, and a story. If you want to keep things more private, use the private message button and message me here. I will get back to you and make sure that the names you want to add to my list get there.

To learn more about the PMC, go to: https://www.pmc.org/. There is also a cool write-up in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-Mass_Challenge.

Thanks so much in advance.

Don Heilman