Lung cancer has been a disease I've been fighting on behalf of my mom for the last 16 years. When she was just 58 years young, at the prime of her career as a program manager at Raytheon and in apparently excellent health (hadn't smoked in 20 years, didn't drink, practiced yoga and was at an ideal weight), she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and passed away 3 months later.

It was a tragedy that ended her life far too soon, and one that has forever impacted mine and everyone who loved my beautiful, strong, intelligent mother.

Since then, I've been a fierce advocate for more funding and research for lung cancer - which is woefully underfunded. It kills more people than 5 of the other major cancers COMBINED yet receives significantly less funding because of a smoking stigma, and survival rates still hover around 17% (in comparison, breast cancer has a 90% survival rate).

The good news is that since my mom passed away in December 2007, things HAVE gotten better. The survival rate has increased from 15% to 25% and there have been an incredible number of treatments developed to extend and improve life that simply didn't exist 16 years ago. For anyone who's helped me as I've advocated for lung cancer over the last decade, you've been a part of that. THANK YOU.

Once again, I'm getting on my bike and riding the Pan Mass Challlenge to raise money for lung cancer at Dana Farber Cancer Center. On August 2-3, I'll take on the two-day challenge of riding from Wellesley MA to Bourne, then from Bourne to Provincetown, a total of 200 miles!

I just need your help reaching my fundraising goal. All amounts are welcome and appreciated, and every single dollar goes toward research toward a cure to this brutal, awful disease.

Thank you!