Dear Friends and Family,

This August, I will be riding in my 8th Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) beginning in Sturbridge and ending in Provincetown, MA (192 miles over 2 days). The PMC raises money for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DCFI) through an annual bike-a-thon that crosses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The PMC is the largest single athletic charity event in the country. My team, Team Kermit, rides specifically for children with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma). DIPG is an inoperable, high-grade brain tumor which grows in the middle of the brain stem, entrenching itself beyond the reach of conventional treatments, taking the child's vision, hearing and motor functions but never their awareness of what is happening to them. The daughter of one of my teammates has this terrible disease and we ride to raise money for DIPG research at DCFI. The research is coordinated by Dr. Mark Kieran who has dedicated his life to the eradication of this type of cancer. Dr. Kieran led us in a tour of the new Yawkey Center at DFCI over the winter and I was deeply moved by what I saw. What struck me most was that the chemotherapy used for DIPG kills cancerous brain cells as well as normal brain cells which takes its toll on young minds. New clinical trials are ongoing that target the cancerous cells rather than healthy tissue.

In addition, I ride for family and friends who have been touched by other forms of cancer. Although we are raising more money than ever for cancer research, cancer is on the rise. It is inevitable that someone close to you will be touched by cancer. More funds are needed to target specific cancer research. I hope that you will support my ride this year. Please go to the following link to make a tax deductible donation:

http://www2.pmc.org/profile/JL0330.

To donate via check, please make it payable to the “Pan Mass Challenge” and mail it to me at:

Jim Liebowitz

27 Stacey Street

Natick, MA 01760

Again, thank you for your support and wish me luck on my ride on August 1st and 2nd.

Thank you

Jim Liebowitz