I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) 4 days after my 37th birthday. I was in shock. I was otherwise healthy and had none of the risk factors for CRC. 6 days later, on my youngest daughter’s 2nd birthday, I learned that my cancer was Stage IIIB. I would need chemoradiation, multiple surgeries, and chemotherapy. The 5-year survival rate sent me into a tailspin. I was terrified I would die before my children would be old enough to remember me.
During those gut wrenchingly uncertain first days, I had to decide where to be treated. Luckily, I lived 10 minutes from the Dana-Farber, a world-class cancer institute. In addition to their reputation and their Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, the prospect of riding the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) once my treatment was completed spoke to the athlete in me. It gave me something extra to shoot for. Once I met my oncologist, Dr. Bob Mayer, I knew the Dana was the place I wanted to be.
3 years have passed since my diagnosis. I have completed active treatment and I’m ready to take on the PMC. I will be riding 77 miles from Bourne to Provincetown on August 4th. 100% of rider-raised revenue will go directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure.
According to Dr. Kimmie Ng, the founding director of Dana-Farber’s Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, they are seeing “more young people, otherwise healthy with no genetic syndrome, being diagnosed with very advanced stages of gastrointestinal cancers. For men under 50, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death... In women under 50, it is now the second leading cause of cancer death. These are concerning numbers and we are all working hard to understand why this is happening.” If you choose to donate your dollars will go to supporting research efforts like these and helping patients like me. I would be so grateful.
As with most cancers, early detection is the best way to maximize the likelihood of survival. Colonoscopies aren’t that bad (I promise!). Please see your doctor if you have any concerns because blood in your stool is not cool.
I would not be capable of doing this ride without the dedication of my care team. They came billed as “The A-team” and they lived up to that title and more. Dr. Bob Mayer, Dr. Harvey Mamon, Dr. Joel Goldberg, and Jane Bausch, LICSW. I would also like to thank my wife, Chelsea, for taking care of everything in our lives so that the only thing I needed to focus on was my health. Lastly, thank you to my Mom, who dropped everything to care for me while I recovered from grueling surgeries and 8 rounds of chemo. The love, gratitude, and respect that I have for these people will be powering each pedal stroke during my training and along the way from Bourne to Ptown. Helping me up the hills of Truro will be the memory of my friends, Gail Harwood, Michael Kovarik, and Kristen Leary, who lived courageously and fought valiantly but were not as fortunate as I have been.
I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) 4 days after my 37th birthday. I was in shock. I was otherwise healthy and had none of the risk factors for CRC. 6 days later, on my youngest daughter’s 2nd birthday, I learned that my cancer was Stage IIIB. I would need chemoradiation, multiple surgeries, and chemotherapy. The 5-year survival rate sent me into a tailspin. I was terrified I would die before my children would be old enough to remember me.
During those gut wrenchingly uncertain first days, I had to decide where to be treated. Luckily, I lived 10 minutes from the Dana-Farber, a world-class cancer institute. In addition to their reputation and their Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, the prospect of riding the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) once my treatment was completed spoke to the athlete in me. It gave me something extra to shoot for. Once I met my oncologist, Dr. Bob Mayer, I knew the Dana was the place I wanted to be.
3 years have passed since my diagnosis. I have completed active treatment and I’m ready to take on the PMC. I will be riding 77 miles from Bourne to Provincetown on August 4th. 100% of rider-raised revenue will go directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure.
According to Dr. Kimmie Ng, the founding director of Dana-Farber’s Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, they are seeing “more young people, otherwise healthy with no genetic syndrome, being diagnosed with very advanced stages of gastrointestinal cancers. For men under 50, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death... In women under 50, it is now the second leading cause of cancer death. These are concerning numbers and we are all working hard to understand why this is happening.” If you choose to donate your dollars will go to supporting research efforts like these and helping patients like me. I would be so grateful.
As with most cancers, early detection is the best way to maximize the likelihood of survival. Colonoscopies aren’t that bad (I promise!). Please see your doctor if you have any concerns because blood in your stool is not cool.
I would not be capable of doing this ride without the dedication of my care team. They came billed as “The A-team” and they lived up to that title and more. Dr. Bob Mayer, Dr. Harvey Mamon, Dr. Joel Goldberg, and Jane Bausch, LICSW. I would also like to thank my wife, Chelsea, for taking care of everything in our lives so that the only thing I needed to focus on was my health. Lastly, thank you to my Mom, who dropped everything to care for me while I recovered from grueling surgeries and 8 rounds of chemo. The love, gratitude, and respect that I have for these people will be powering each pedal stroke during my training and along the way from Bourne to Ptown. Helping me up the hills of Truro will be the memory of my friends, Gail Harwood, Michael Kovarik, and Kristen Leary, who lived courageously and fought valiantly but were not as fortunate as I have been.
| 2025 | $0.00 | Sturbridge to Provincetown Inn (2-Day) |
| 2024 | $11,279.00 | Bourne to Provincetown Monument (1-Day, Sun) |
