Dear Friends and Supporters,

On the weekend of August 2nd and 3rd, I will be riding in my 23rd Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC)—my third alongside my daughter, Logan. We will be doing the 2-day, 162-mile ride from Boston to Provincetown, raising funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston.

Each ride is meaningful, but this year’s is especially poignant. I will be riding in honor and memory of my mother, Dena Slater, who passed away in March of this year.

My mother was a profound source of strength, inspiration, and love throughout my life. She taught me about the power of gratitude, the importance of service, the value of hard work, and the centrality of love and connection. Her presence was unwavering. She showed up—always—for her students, her friends, her husband, her children, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her life, defined by persistence, intellect, kindness, and loyalty, stitched together multiple generations of our family.

At her shiva, her great-nephew, Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, read an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s When Great Trees Fall, which beautifully expressed the loss we feel:

And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always irregularly.
Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be better.
For they existed.

Every mile I ride this August, I will be thinking of her. Her memory—like the careful, red ink marks she left on every paper she edited as an English teacher and my mother—is permanent.

This year, I’ve made a personal commitment to raise $15,000 for the PMC. Given my background in Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison, I designate my contributions specifically to the Psychosocial Fund at Dana-Farber, which helps children with cancer cope emotionally with the challenges they face. The PMC raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country—over $1 billion since 1980 and $75 million in 2024 alone! This success is the result of countless people riding for, and caring about, a cure. And because every penny matters, 100% of rider-raised donations go directly to Dana-Farber. You can learn more at www.pmc.org.

I know there are many worthy causes to which people dedicate their resources and time. It’s with humility and appreciation that I reach out to those who may be interested and able to support this vital mission. Every dollar makes a difference—not just in the search for a cure, but in easing the journey for patients and families who face unimaginable challenges.

I want to wish you and your loved ones continued good health in the year ahead. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with us in this effort.

With deep gratitude,

Jon Slater