On August 7th, my husband Jay and I will be riding a PMC Reimagined loop starting and finishing at UMASS Dartmouth on our tandem while towing our fur babies, Rosie and Bailey, R&B. While COVID has created many challenges for PMC riders and organizers these past 2 years, our efforts do not stop to help those affected by cancer. If you haven't sponsored a team, please consider ours, Team Room for Mom!
Our ninth PMC weekend is dedicated to the memory of two individuals whom we miss dearly: my mother, Beth O'Brien, who was taken from us in 2013 after a 10-year battle with ovarian cancer, and Jay's long-time cycling mentor and friend, Robert Bobby Mac McMurray, who was taken from us in 2014 by pancreatic cancer.
Team Room for Mom
The last time I spoke to my mom about the PMC in 2013, it was still months away. She knew she would not see us ride in her honor, so she asked me to save room for her on our tandem.
Mom received years of treatment at Dana-Farber during the course of her battle; years she might not have had without their state-of-the-art care. I miss her every day, but I'm eternally grateful for the time that Dana-Farber gave our family. We fundraise and ride to ensure that they will always be there to help the next family.
Mom's spot on our tandem is right on my back.
With love in our hearts..
Bobby Mac led the Quad Cycles group rides out of Arlington, MA for years. He was a charismatic, positive and patient ride marshal and coach. He encouraged so many cyclists, Jay included, to take up charity riding, to stretch themselves both physically and mentally to do their best for a worthy cause.
With unapologetic enthusiasm, Bobby commenced every ride by belting out:
With love in our hearts, and smiles on our faces, let's roll this ride!
And we will.
Super Joe!
But the PMC is not just about remembering; it's also about showing our support to those who are fighting, and have fought, like Jay's cousin Joe.
Joe was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just two years old. Before he could understand what was happening to him, he had to brave radiation, chemotherapy, and more hospital stays than many of us will have to endure in our lifetime.
The survival rate for neuroblastoma worldwide, in a child of nearly 3 years old, is only 50%. In many parts of the country, those are the odds. At Dana-Farber, Joe received a cutting edge treatment that is achieving a survival rate above 72%. And today, Joe is in full remission. He'll turn six in July.
Hope
The PMC is about making a difference, about never giving up, about believing in something that is bigger than any one individual, and about putting all else aside to be a part of it. The PMC is about remembrance and hope, and that's why we ride.
