I'm a proud participant in the Pan-Mass Challenge - a bike-a-thon that raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the country - to bring us Closer by the Mile to a cure for cancer.

In February of 2016 my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma. About 15 years before he had beat prostate cancer. The key was that they had found it early, and there were great treatments available. By the time he discovered the lump on his lymph node in 2016, the skin cancer had spread. We were optimistic though, because he would be getting a relatively new immunotherapy therapy treatment--the one that former President Jimmy Carter had responded so well to.

Sadly, he developed an infection at the biopsy site. Although we initially thought he had cleared it, the infection returned. This meant he had to suspend his treatment. He passed away in June of that same year. In some ways, this period was a blur, but there are other things I remember with great clarity. One thing that really struck me was the many conversations I had with people who shared their own stories of how cancer had impacted them. Everyone has experienced a loved one who has battled cancer. The other was how fortunate we were to have access to cutting edge treatment and care.

Since then, I have wanted to ride in the PMC in memory of my Dad. Last summer my friends and I ended up sharing a few miles of the road with PMC riders in Wellfleet. The energy from the cheering crowds and the riders (still enthusiastic after two long days of riding) was infectious. So when my friend Christin asked if I would be interested in joining a team that her friend Kevin was putting together, I knew this was the year. I am a proud member of Wendy's Warriors, a team riding in honor of Wendy Postlethwaite, who is courageously battling cancer.

Since its founding in 1980, PMC riders like me have raised more than $1 billion for lifesaving cancer research, treatment and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the country's top cancer care hospitals. My PMC is making a difference in the lives of patients at Dana-Farber and around the world. The funds I raise support the innovative work of doctors, nurses, and scientists in their search for cures for cancers and related diseases.

100 percent of every dollar I raise goes directly to Dana-Farber, meaning that your donation has a real impact! Please donate to my PMC fundraising and help me reach my fundraising goal.