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On June 22, 2015, our lives changed forever with Ian's diagnosis of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). For the next 55 days, Ian was treated at Boston Children's Hospital receiving chemotherapy and undergoing twice weekly spinal taps. We were fortunate that Ian received a remission status after discharge from the hospital, yet he would need to undergo treatment for the next two years at Dana Farber Cancer Institute's The Jimmy Fund Clinic. Those two years were some of the hardest we ever experienced; watching your child suffer and experience pain is excrutiating. And while Ian began to look like his normal self on the outside, he was dealing with more than any child should have to experience. We are grateful beyond belief that Ian is in remission, done with treatment and thriving today, yet the residual effects of his treatment still exist for both him and us. Every time he gets a fever or cold, before we go for his check ups at the Jimmy Fund or even the slightest reminder of his treatment can bring back nerves and anxiety like you wouldn't believe. No child or family should have to endure these issues.
I was thrilled to ride in the PMC in 2019 for the first time and had an amazing experience riding along with Team Beachcomber. As we all know, 2020 was a challenging year and the PMC was re-imagined as will my PMC also be this year in 2021. I will plan to ride throughout 2021 as cancer does not stop for a pandemic. I ride in Honor of Ian as well as all the other children and families we have met along the way. I also ride for all of our loved ones continuing to battle cancer and those that we have lost.
Ian - I am in awe of how much you have had to endure in your short life and I am continuously amazed by you every day. I am so proud of you! I love you to the moon and back!
I'm a proud supporter of the PMC because it is leading a charge to beat cancer. In fact, last year 100% of rider-raised revenue went directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure. And while it is re-imagined this year due to COVID-19, we still want to support this amazing organization!
Here are a few amazing facts about this impactful event:
About the PMC:
The Pan-Mass Challenge® (PMC) is a bike-a-thon that today raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country. Benefiting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the PMC pioneered the $4 billion athletic fundraising industry when it was founded in 1980 by Billy Starr, who remains the event’s executive director, an annual cyclist and a fundraiser. The PMC donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to Dana-Farber and is the institute’s largest single contributor, raising more than 55 percent of the annual revenue at The Jimmy Fund®. In 2019, the PMC gave a record gift of $63 million to Dana-Farber!
