This will be my second year riding the PMC. If you were here reading my first-time rider testimony just last year, you know that in the span of 18 months, my family shouldered the unimaginable burden of multiple cancer diagnoses. Training last summer was everything to me. It was an outlet for channeling the immense weight and stress of it all into something productive…a way to feel like I was contributing to my loved ones’ fights in some small but meaningful way. I couldn’t have anticipated how much more personal and poignant this ride would become.
In the second half of 2024, cancer continued to hit my family with blow after blow. My first-ever PMC was bookended by the passings of two uncles, Charlie and Angelo, both of whom I had in part dedicated my experience to. Charlie passed away only three weeks before PMC weekend, and Angelo a month to the day after him—just four days after I crossed the finish line. A month later, my cousin lost his wife Margarita—the day after her birthday, aged only 47—after a courageous battle with breast cancer.
Three lives in three months. I know how definite loss is. And I know that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s (DFCI) mission and the PMC’s impact are closer to my heart now more than ever before.
As so many fellow PMC riders I've met in the community have told me, “There is nothing like experiencing your first PMC weekend. I visited Angleo in the hospital days before he died and showed him a picture of me holding my bike over my head at the banner. He smiled and told me that he had already seen it and lifted his arms over his head to mimic my pose. That was our last conversation. As I prepare for my second ride, I expect this year to be even more meaningful and special.
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 sense of purpose in the face of loss and grief. It has surrounded me with an incredible community of people working toward a common goal to fund life-saving work. 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. It’s a reminder of what we as humans can accomplish when we come together—not just as individuals, but as a collective force for change.
Thank you so much for any donation amount, big or small, and for being a part of this journey.
Frankie
