Back in the saddle again! I'm incredibly proud of having raised more than $20,000 over the past several years in support of Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund with the PMC.

I am inspired to ride and raise funds for cancer research because of my niece Kelly. In 2016 Kelly was 11 years old and she was dignosed with medulloblastoma, a type of malignant brain tumor. The treatment course included two brain surgeries at Boston Children's Hospital, months of chemotherapy and weeks of proton radiation of her spine and brain at Mass General Hospital. Her battle inspired Doug and I to ride and it's been an important event for us each year since - we have missed it during the pandemic.

Kelly is now cancer free but she and her family are forever changed. A typical cancer survivor story recounts how a person was diagnosed, received treatment, and then once the cancer is gone they resume their life the way it was. That's not how it went for Kelly due to the intensity of the necessary treatments she had to endure. Kelly is 16 (almost 17!) and faces challenges daily from the lasting impacts of her surgeries and treatments.

We have more work to do to support children impacted by cancer. We need more treatment options and continued support for families even after a patient is cancer free. I'm so grateful for your generosity and for the hard work of the physicians, nurses and researchers at Dana-Farber and everyone involved in Kelly's continued treatment and need for support. Thank you for reading the page and for your support.