My brave niece, Eva, is facing cancer once again. Diagnosed with leukemia at just 2.5 years old, she has fought through numerous rounds of chemo, treatments and relapses. Recently, her tests revealed the presence of genes linked to MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndromes) and a challenging form of leukemia known as AML.

As her mom put it so poignantly, “she beat the B-ALL, but now we’re facing the possibility of AML if we don’t proceed with another bone marrow transplant… she’s tackled every daunting challenge we’ve thrown her way, and now we must ask her to do the hardest one yet again.”

It feels impossible to find the right words and actions to support my brother and his family during times like this. We’ve been focusing on small, personal gestures to show our love. In addition, I’ve made the decision to ride the Pan-Mass Challenge in honor of Eva once more, increasing my ride from 84 to 162 miles. 

I chose the PMC because, as the founder so beautifully stated, “the PMC has raised more than $1 billion for Dana-Farber. It turns out that riding a bike powers the wheels of cancer research funding”. We need fewer relapses. Fewer size effects.  Quicker test results. Earlier detection. We reach those goals with research funding, and I’ll climb each hill over those 162 miles, one pedal stroke at a time to help get there for Eva. I’m grateful for each of you that are willing to offer your support via donations, texts, training rides, and more.