Dear Friend,
I hope this new year finds you well in good health. I am writing to announce that I have committed to my 23rd PMC Challenge. As such, I will be riding from Wellesley, MA to Provincetown on August 6th and 7th with 100% of every rider-raised dollar donated directly to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In 2021, the PMC gave a record gift of $64 million to Dana-Farber, bringing the PMC’s 41-year contribution to more than $831 million since its inception in 1980.
This year I have committed to raising $11,532. Why the nice round number of $11,532 you ask? That is the amount needed to reach $250,000 lifetime fundraising in the fight against cancer. When I set out in my first PMC commitment in 2000, I never dreamt that I would near such a milestone achievement. Over the years, I have been motivated to ride the PMC in memory and honor of those friends and loved ones who have been afflicted by cancer. Cancer still afflicts 1.9 million Americans annually and approximately one-third of them will die from this horrific disease. While I’m not educated or trained to discover a treatment, I do know I’m blessed with the strength to pedal my bike to raise funds for cancer care and research, as well as possessing the commitment and perseverance to continue this effort until this horrible disease is eradicated.
As the years go by, the success rates rise and the death rates fall, evidence of our collective effort to get Closer By the Mile, a result of the $831 million the PMC has raised since its inception. With that said, the success rates remain far from 100%. Historically I have sent my first fundraising letter closer to Memorial Day. This year I am writing earlier as I recognize folks have fewer discretionary funds and have, at least, an equal amount of charity requests. I wanted to make you aware so you can plan your charitable donations accordingly. I invite you to join me in the effort to end cancer with a donation. The following link http://www2.pmc.org/profile/JO0033 will take you to my PMC profile page where you can make your tax-deductible donation (Tax ID: 04-2746912) with 100% of your donation going to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. If you prefer to write a check, please make it out to the PMC, The Jimmy Fund or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and mail it to me directly at:
John O'Rourke
P.O. Box 636
Baltic, CT 06330
If your employer has a matching gift program, ask your Human Resources department for a form, and follow the process for matches. For all that have supported me in past years, thank you and I hope you are still in a position to support the PMC once again this year. For those that are choosing to join the fight for the first time, I thank you as well.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or assistance that you may need in supporting this effort. Best wishes for continued health and prosperity in the months ahead.
Most appreciatively,
John O'Rourke
Please consider becoming a platelet donor, see LINK for FAQ’s.
