This August, I joined nearly 7,000 cyclists in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). The PMC began in 1980 as a group of a few dozen individuals who set out to raise money for cancer research in memory of loved ones lost to the disease. It has since grown to become the largest athletic fundraiser in the United States and this July surpassed $1 billion in total funds raised (see: PMC Origin Story). PMC weekend was a phenomenal experience and my participation has been truly rewarding.

I learned about the PMC through my colleagues at Ropes & Gray, one of the largest sponsors of the PMC for decades. Our team is fundraising and rode together for approximately 200 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown (see: Route Map), in support of the PMC’s mission. Ropes' longstanding commitment to the PMC is a testament to its core values and service in the healthcare industry. I'm inspired by and fortunate for the opportunity to become part of this tradition.

Cancer touches so many lives and I rode to honor family and friends who have been affected by this disease, including friends who have lost a parent or young child, and my grandfather, Henry Vasquez, who passed away from cancer in 2000 at the age of 65. I was privileged to know my grandpa (see: Photo Gallery), a kind-hearted man who loved to laugh and was always willing help others in need. We lived under the same roof in my early years and shared a lot of great times, including barbeques, swimming, and his appearances as Santa for me, my siblings, and my cousins at Christmas time. After I reached the third grade, we lived on different coasts, as my family moved from California to Massachusetts. We were still able to visit each other on vacations until he passed during my early teenage years. I have gratitude for the times we shared, but am still left with a sense of the time we lost. I hope my ride and fundraising efforts will help others receive the gift of more time together with people they love.

100% of money donated to the PMC goes to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), one of the top cancer centers in the world, and supports many outstanding initiatives in the fight to cure and treat cancer (for more information, see: PMC Impact). PMC funds represent over 60% of the annual revenue of the Jimmy Fund and have been directly responsible for groundbreaking cancer treatments that are actively supporting patients. DFCI has played a substantial role in developing over half of all cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the last five years.

Please consider supporting this cause (link to donate by debit, credit, or DAF: Donate). Please see Ways to Give for more information on other ways to give and consider whether your employer offers matching gifts. A donation of any amount makes an incredible impact.