In May 2017, my Mom, Paula Buckley, was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic melanoma. After more than three months of surgery, rounds of immunotherapy and radiation at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, the cancer became too aggressive. In early September, my Mom died far too young at age 59.

My Mom received outstanding, world-class care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital from the moment she was diagnosed. My Mom and my family remained confident in her medical team, however, the unfortunate reality is the medical world does not yet have a deep enough understanding of metastatic melanoma. This disease, and every other type of cancer, demand continued fundraising for research to find a cure.

My family and I could never have imagined that this nightmare would become our reality, but everyday we think about how my Mom would react to our journey moving forward. Far before her diagnosis through her last breath, she smiled every single day. Her presence was life-giving, and family, strength, grit, faith, hope and enthusiasm made up her DNA. She was a nurse at her very core, grounded in her innate capacity to love and care deeply.

While I would give anything for my Mom to be here on earth with us, I try to remember that death ends a life, not a relationship. Death is not the final period on the sentence, but simply a comma. I know my Mom has not truly left us, she is simply walking on ahead, and I take comfort in the hope that I will walk again with her one day.

My Mom and I are both nurses. It is in the spirit of nursing and helping others, that I am embracing my Mom’s legacy by riding in my 3rd Pan Mass Challenge this August in her honor. I have the privilege of riding this year on the Boston Fire Department Team. We are riding this year's PMC to support Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, patients and their families, and the medical teams, who continue to search for answers to our toughest challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Please consider joining me to honor my Mom and all those we have lost their toughest battles to this horrific disease by making a donation. Your donation is incredibly appreciated – know that 100% of the rider-raised dollars will go directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to help bring us closer to finding a cure for cancer.

Thank you for visiting my page and reading my reason for riding.