Dear Family and Friends:

This year I once again will join thousands of riders for the annual Pan Mass Challenge to support cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. 

I am riding for Team Perry which supports gastrointestinal oncology research and clinical care at DFCI. It has been a challenging year as I continue to diagnose patients every day with GI related cancers. Unfortunately, many of these patients are young. GI related cancers do not care how old you are. The conversations are never easy. It is sobering but also hopeful as there are many new treatments allowing patients to live longer and stronger. 

The past year or so has been challenging in our family. We lost my father in the Spring of 2023 and this spring we unexpectedly lost Lenny and Elliott.  These three men inspire me in different aspects of my life as they inspired their families in different ways. Although they did not pass from cancer, their resiliency, caring, thoughtfulness, and love for their family and friends are role models for how we can live our lives to the fullest. I see this resilience in patients with cancer. I see the dedication in the researchers and caregivers. They need your help.

Your support is critical for patients to continue to receive outstanding care and to continue efforts to eradicate all forms of cancer. If not cured, many cancers can be managed as if they were chronic diseases. People are living longer. There is incredible hope. These successes are not possible without your support. Your support goes directly to ground-breaking research that helps better understand cancers and helps find cures.

Please give what you can. Any amount makes a big difference.

You can contribute online at my profile page: https://profile.pmc.org/LB0227

Thank you so much for your support.

Laurence