2025 is a pivotal year for Team Noble Effort and the PMC!
I've been asking for your support for many years now, and each year, I am deeply moved by your continued generosity and commitment to fighting cancer. This year, your support is even more critical than ever.
Put simply: the landscape of cancer research is facing significant challenges. With recent substantial cuts in federal funding, the importance of events like the Pan-Mass Challenge has never been more paramount. We cannot - and will not - let these funding reductions slow down the incredible progress we've been making in understanding and treating cancer over the years.
Now riding my 14th PMC, I continue to ride in memory of my dad, carrying his spirit with me with every mile, whether crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on a training ride from my home in San Francisco or crossing the Bourne Bridge into Cape Cod for Day 2 of the PMC. For me, this ride is about honoring his memory and making him proud by contributing to the fight against the disease that took him from us far too early. It's also about riding in honor and in memory of so many others - especially the friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and many more in your lives.
Team Noble Effort, which my dad established in 2012, has an ambitious goal this year: we're aiming to surpass $1 million in total fundraising since we began riding the PMC. This milestone would be a testament to the incredible community we've built and the difference we're making together with all of you.
As always, we direct our fundraising to the Michael C. Noble Pancreatic Research Fund, managed by Dr. Brian Wolpin at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Wolpin and his team continue to lead groundbreaking research in pancreatic cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers, driving scientific advancements that bring hope to countless families.
When my dad was diagnosed, the 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer was a mere 5%. Today, it's still around 12% - a significant improvement, but not nearly good enough. Your donations go directly to Dr. Wolpin's research, with zero administrative fees, ensuring that every single dollar contributes to potentially life-saving discoveries.
As the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge kicks off its first ride since surpassing $1 Billion in lifetime fundraising, we remain the largest single-event athletic fundraiser in the world. We are proof that collective action can drive incredible change - and that's all thanks to you.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for continuing to support this crucial mission. Together, we are closer by the mile - and closer to a world with more hope, more treatments, and ultimately, more survivors.
Links:
The Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Team Noble Effort
