Dear friends and family,

This will be my 19th year of PMC involvement, with the first one in 2006. As we get older, we truly appreciate the limits of control we have over many things, and because of that, I believe we live life with more gusto. Since Jeff's 2 heart attacks, and my ulcerative colitis diagnosis 34 years ago, we try to make every day count. This year, we are especially grateful for our health, and for the fact we can still contribute to the worthy cause of helping others deal with the effects of cancer. We are also reminded just how out of control we are of external circumstances, and feel obligated to do what we can to help those most vulnerable to COVID-19. These past 4+ years have been especially challenging for so many of us, and we mourn the loss of so many people who succumbed to Covid-19. This year we recommit to helping others overcome and/or deal with sickness through helping raise funds to fight cancer. We also are acutely aware of the decrease in funding to the NIH and ressearch centers throughout Massachusetts universities and hospitals that make this year an especially important year to support cancer research in light of federal funding being drastically reduced.

As you know, I love to exercise and be active. My background as an occupational therapist and personal fitness trainer make this endurance biking somewhat of a natural progression, albeit a challenging one. The real impetus for this ride comes from my 2 sisters and father, who are near and dear to my heart. Both my sisters and a cousin had breast cancer, and my father had prostate cancer, and they're all cancer-free now, thanks to new research and treatment techniques that have been aided by the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Since I began riding in 2006, we've lost more relatives and friends to cancer, and know more people, including a wonderful neighbor and riding buddy who are battling this disease. In past years, we've lost friends, John Dragat, and Karen Stives and my dear cousin Sandra to cancer and it's their memory and my family's honor that motivates me to ride. Also, a beloved member of our Weston COA exercise group, Barbara Solakian succumbed to cancer after a brave 2 year battle that she fought with grace and fortitude, and inspired all who knew her. The sense of helplessness we feel over this disease is ameliorated by our ability to raise funds to contribute to some of the groundbreaking research that has happened over the past few years. A few years ago, Joyce Zakim asked if we'd be interested in riding for the Zakim Center for Integrated Therapies in honor of her late husband, Lenny. Jeff and I were happy to join the Zakim team, whose center focuses on complementary and compassionate care for people being treated for cancer. To learn more about the Center, go to the Zakim center link at the bottom of this page.

Although I'm used to trying to help others reach their potential through rehabilitation and fitness training, fundraising presents a whole new challenge for me. I feel strongly about the cause, and I'm impressed with the administration of the Pan-Mass ride in that 100 % of every dollar given goes directly to cancer research. Also, the median age of the riders is 45, so we feel increasingly grateful that we are still doing this at (nearly) 65! Thanks again for your interest and support and I truly appreciate your contribution.

With love and gratitude,

Ellen

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Zakim Center information