Why I Ride ...
PAN MASS CHALLENGE �" MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Dear friends,
Hello! Hope this note finds you well and enjoying the beginning of summer. I'm writing to request your support to raise funds for the Pan Mass Challenge. The Pan Mass Challenge is the primary fund raiser for the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The Pan Mass Challenge is a bike race that starts in Sturbridge, MA and ends in Provincetown, MA (tip of Cape Cod for you non-New Englanders). I will be riding with a small team of friends and will cover the 200 mile ride over two days this August 5th and 6th.
As many of you know, I've been working in the oncology field for the past 5 years and have thoroughly enjoyed helping people gain access to exciting new therapies. The Pan Mass Challenge is providing me and hopefully you another avenue to make a difference.
I'll be riding on behalf of many friends and family members who have been touched by cancer. Three people in particular will provide much of the needed motivation for the weekend. Some of you are aware that my Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer last year and had to have surgery. She's doing great and was given the best possible prognosis after her surgery. It was a very scary time for my family and unfortunately is an experience that my family probably shares with many of you. I saw a side of my Mom that I had never seen before. She was tough as nails and ready to tackle anything to improve her health. She's always been an inspiration to me, but never more than while she was dealing with breast cancer!
I'll also be riding for Brielle Laplante who is the courageous daughter of dear friends of ours. Brielle is 7 years old and was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2003. In November of last year, as she was finishing up what should have been the last of her chemotherapy treatments, doctors discovered that the cancer had returned. Now she's challenged with undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Jaclyn, Brielle's four year old sister, has been identified as a perfect marrow donor for Brielle, dramatically increasing her chances of success. Brielle still faces a long, hard road to recovery. A few words about Brielle: she is a loving girl, quick with a smile and she has an infectious giggle. She loves butterflies, dancing, swimming reading books and the challenge of a puzzle. She's very artistic and adores the color purple. Brielle attends the 1st grade.
Lastly, the hockey world has lost one of the best coaches ever. Gary Dineen, who coached my brother and me during our high school years passed away last month after battling lymphoma for many years. He was not only a coach, but a close friend. My brother and I learned many lessons in life through Gary that greatly transcends anything that we ever accomplished while on the ice.
They and others are my motivation! I'm sure we all have people who immediately enter our thoughts. Thanks for your consideration. I'll be keeping everyone informed of how much money we raise and the pain my butt is in by the end of the second day or riding. The following page has some basic instructions. There are many ways to get funds to my Pan Mass Challenge Account. Also, many employers will match funds and it usually only requires asking your Human Resource department for a form that you send in with your donation. PMC takes care of the rest and remember that your generous gift is tax deductible!
Thanks again!
Glen Witwer
