I'm back and ready for year 14 - having helped the PMC cross the ONE BILLION DOLLAR milestone in 45 years of rides last year! Thank you to everyone who helped get me to year 14 and the PMC to ONE BILLION DOLLARS

After eight glorious years of proudly riding in my mom's honor - as a way to tip my hat/helmet to the most inspiring, loving, full-of-life, hilarious and supportive mother I could imagine, as well as to support the medical advancements that helped give us many bonus years - I am again riding in memory of my amazing mother, Linda Minker Abramson, who passed away in January 2020. This year, I also get to ride in honor of my brilliant and giving, wonderful role model of a father, who threw his hat in the cancer ring four years ago, as well.

There were few things my mom loved more than going on training rides with me, on an adaptive tandem tricycle through the Spaulding Adaptive Sports program, and participating in the PMC weekend (as well as dancing, being with friends and family, grandmothering, teaching, volunteering, laughing and eating chocolate...so I guess she had many passions!). She and my father were at the starting line every year, despite the start time being hours before her desired wakeup time, and met me along the route, as well! Best of all, they sat at the final bend in the route, just before the finish line, welcoming me to Provincetown, every year. That (pre-)finish line hug was the best part of the best weekend of the year, always.

And now, times have changed. Not only will my mom not be at the finish line, waiting with her bells and big hat, screaming back in response to hearing my calls for her, but I will also be thinking about my father again as I travel from Wellesley to Provincetown for my annual 163-mile bicycling pilgrimage.

Cancer, unfortunately, continues affect not only my own life, but so many friends' and family members' lives as well. The PMC's mission remains crucial. In recent years, the PMC has allocated its money to fund:

• Unanticipated additional costs to keep cancer patients safe and prevent infection as they receive lifesaving treatments;
• New expenses for telemedicine technology that allows patients and families to visit with their Dana-Farber care team virtually;
• Pressing financial strains felt by patients and caregivers who lose employment or experience disruptions in dependent care due to school and other closures;
• Flexible funding for research and care due to the cancellation or postponement of hundreds of spring fundraising events benefitting Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund; and
• Obtaining additional personal protective equipment and supplies to keep staff and patients safe.

Even during these challenging times, two things about the PMC will not change:

• 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar will go to Dana-Farber
• All directed funds will be attributed to their designated areas

If you are able to contribute anything at all, know that 100% of your contribution will go straight to the cause!

Thank you all in advance for your kindness and generosity, and thanks to all of the professionals involved in researching, treating and caring for those with cancer. Thank you, especially, to those professionals who helped improve the quality of my mom's life, and helped us all get some of those bonus years we never could have imagined having back in 1991 when she was first diagnosed – and for everyone who is helping to advance prostate cancer treatment, as that is now also close to my heart.

As my mom always said:

With an attitude of gratitude,

jenn/jenny/jennifer