During the weekend of August 6th and 7th, I will take part in the 43rd rendition of the Pan-Mass Challenge, cycling 200 miles from Sturbridge, Massachusetts to the tip of Cape Cod. To those who I have not seen or spent time with over the past couple of years, this may sound like a spontaneous challenge and a lot of time on a bike. To others who are more acquainted with the ways in which I have spent my weekends as of late, you know that this is what I love to do. Luckily, this weekend in August has presented me and many others with the opportunity to ride for a purpose far more profound than ourselves. The two day bike adventure is held annually to raise funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a world leader in adult and pediatric cancer treatment and research. Since inception in 1980, the Pan-Mass Challenge has raised more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country ($831 million) and 100% of each rider-raised dollar goes to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Cancer has touched all of us in one way or another. It has certainly impacted my family, inspiring me to get more involved in the fight against the ruthless and unforgiving disease many years ago. For many of you, this will not be the first time that I have reached out to you for your support and I thank you in advance for your continued consideration to champion this cause. While my campaign represents just one small piece of the puzzle, I cannot emphasize enough how much every dollar and every year counts in this battle.
As a participant in this year's ride, I am responsible for raising $6,000 for the cause and am asking for your support in pursuit of this goal. I am both humbled and proud to ride on behalf of my friends and family who have been directly affected by the disease and hope that I can represent the same for your loved ones who have lost lives or are currently suffering. Dana-Farber has been and will continue to be a key player in this fight against cancer. I believe it is a noble organization to call a partner. Please feel free to forward this along to anyone else who might be interested in supporting this mission!
Thank you for your time and consideration. Any support is sincerely appreciated by me and the wonderful, hard-working individuals at the Dana-Farber organization (also appreciated are well wishes for minimal crosswinds, non-existent headwinds, and significant tailwinds...). I will be in touch once more to provide an update on fundraising and the broader event in early August.
