This year is my 9th PMC, riding again with Team Year-Up. As for many PMC riders and volunteers, I have first hand experience with cancer as it has taken my brother-in-law and my 9 year old cousin. My son as a teenager also fought cancer and with Dana-Farber’s great care beat it into submission.

I ride not only in memory of the family members who have fought cancer in the past but more importantly for all those who will be afflicted in the future. PMC provides hope, especially for children. I choke up every time I walk across the “Bridge of Hope” connecting Dana-Farber with Boston Children’s Hospital, a trek I have made many times.

As I have done in the past, I will direct the PMC to split the monies I raise between their general fund and the The Dmitri Itzkovitz Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Fund (a photo of Dmitri and his family can be seen in my gallery). I have been honored to tour the Pediatric Brain Tumor lab that your contributions funded and can report that the researchers there are so thankful for our support, explaining that the work they do today with our funds “would have been unimaginable just 10 years ago” (and that’s a direct quote).

I am proud to say that I am part of the PMC community and delighted that so many friends and family supporters are also part of this wonderful community with me. Thank you all so much! Your support is making a big difference in the fight to defeat cancer.