If you were here reading my first-time rider testimony last year, you know that cancer has left a deep and personal mark on my family. My first PMC in 2024 was driven by the unimaginable ups and downs of an incredibly difficult chapter we were facing together. I rode then in honor of my aunt and godmother, Lidia, who had just overcome her second battle with breast cancer; for two uncles—Charlie (Lidia's husband) and Angelo, the cornerstone of our family—who were diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer one month apart, shortly after Lidia went into remission; and for my cousin Margarita (Maggie) who was fiercely fighting her own ongoing battle with breast cancer.

This year, I ride again in honor of Lidia, and in memory of Charlie, Angelo, and Maggie. In the span of just three months, we lost all three. It felt relentless. It was impossible to tell where one loss ended and the next began. Charlie passed just weeks before the ride on July 9th. Angelo died exactly one month later on August 9th, just a few days after I crossed the finish line. And a month after that, Maggie passed away the morning after her 47th birthday on September 25th.

The PMC weekend fell right in the middle of that storm. Training became a lifeline...a way to channel the stress of it all, process grief, regain some control, and contribute, in my own way, to their fights. I thought I understood what the PMC was all about. I had no idea.

One of my last visits with Angelo will always stay with me. He asked how the ride went, and I showed him a picture of me holding my bike over my head at the finish. He smiled and raised his arms to mimic the pose. That was our last conversation.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s (DFCI) mission and the PMC’s impact are closer to my heart now more than ever before. I remember so many fellow riders telling me, “There is nothing like your first PMC. As I prepare for my second ride, I carry that moment with Angelo—and the love and loss that shaped last year—with me. This year will be even more meaningful.

But this ride is about more than just my family. I ride for close friends and colleagues who have faced the heartbreaking loss of loved ones, who are currently watching loved ones fight the fight, or who have fought their own relentless battles against cancer. I ride for those whose lives have been upended by the physical and emotional toll this disease takes. And I ride for the remarkable doctors, nurses, and researchers who dedicate their lives to developing treatments and bringing hope to those who need it most.

Once again, I’ll be riding 162 miles over the course of two days from Wellesley to Provincetown with Team Wolf Pack. I feel so fortunate to be part of a firm, Wolf Greenfield, that wholeheartedly supports this cause and a team equally passionate about making a difference. My fundraising goal this year is $10,000, and I’m driven by the hope that we can bring more families access to the resources, treatments, and care that made such an impact on mine. One hundred percent of every dollar raised will directly support DFCI’s groundbreaking research, innovative treatment options, and essential resources for patients and their loved ones.

When I signed up for my first PMC last year, I thought I was stepping into a challenge: 162 miles on a bike, physically demanding, with a hefty fundraising goal to hit. What I didn’t realize was just how much the PMC would give back to me in return. This ride has given me a profound sense of purpose in the face of loss and grief. It has connected me to an incredible community of people working toward a common goal to fund life-saving research and care. From my teammates to the thousands of riders, volunteers, and supporters who line all miles of the route, there’s a shared sense of unity, hope, and determination that is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

Thank you so much for any donation amount, big or small, and for being a part of this journey.

Frankie