2024 was my first year riding the Pan Mass Challenge and I'm very excited to jump right back into the 200-mile, 2 day-bike ride across Massachusetts. I have supported the PMC through Linda Sterling, my great friend and cancer survivor, for many years. 2024 was about supporting her in her 25th year riding and being part of the one billionth dollar raised in support of the Dana Farber Cancer Center over its 44-year history. This year, I would like to raise more in honor of all the people who have passed and to support all the families where cancer strikes.
As I get older, cancer is an increasing part of the conversation, 2023 was tough, my aunt passed of ovarian cancer, and many other wonderful people; a good friend's mom, a community leader I respected greatly, taken way too soon. The other constant in my life are the women having double mastectomies for breast cancer. It’s interesting that when I was a kid all I wanted to do when I grew up was find the cure for cancer, to that end I earned a degree in Biochemistry from NYU in ‘99. And while my love of science, the lab and the work were palpable, life led me down a wonderful, yet different path. In the past several years I've found my love of philanthropy through my diversity and inclusion efforts at Braven and supporting children at Children's Specialized Hospital and now cancer research and care through the PMC.
Training for the PMC and the 200 miles of riding is also exciting for me. My last knee replacement was early 2023 and my first was 2019. I’ve been permanently sidelined from my previous passion of half marathon running. Biking has become my new joy and outlet and I love the mental and physical challenge of long-distance riding.
In 2023, the PMC comprised of 6,500 cyclists (including 950 cancer survivors, and 140 Dana Farber doctors, nurses and staff) from 43 states and 8 countries, along with 3,000 volunteers. Each cyclist and volunteer is dedicated to a best-in-class institute to accelerate cancer research and treatment, which is to everyone’s advantage. I am honored to ride with this team and to help raise the funds to find the cures. The Dana Farber Cancer Institute estimates that nearly 40% of men and women will be diagnosed with some type of cancer at some point during their lifetimes. So, this is a cause that will impact all of us!
Thank you for your support and generosity, I hope this is the first of many years that I can be part of the solution in finding the cure for cancer.
Jackie
