I ride in memory of brilliant and radiant Adelia (aka Adelia the Wonder Girl), the beloved Pedal Partner of our PMC Cycling Team (ForzaG). Adelia was the daughter of my friend Meryl and the day-care-buddy of my son; she was an athlete, musician, loving friend, and generous human. At age 7, Adelia was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain cancer and was treated by an incredible team at the Jimmy Fund / Dana Farber / Boston Children's. After an arduous 15+ months of surgeries, radiation, scans, nausea, dizziness, side effects, and more, Adelia passed away in May 2024. We are all shattered by this loss.

All of my PMC funding is directed toward the Adelia The Wonder Girl fund for the Brain Tumor Center at Dana Farber / Boston Children's. In Meryl's words, donations to this fund would mean so much to us and the money would be going to such good use for these kids. For more about Adelia, please visit the beautiful Facebook page dedicated to her.

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In terms of my own experience with cancer and Dana Farber...

In 2017, having just turned 37, I was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. I felt lost and scared, wondering what the future would hold for me, my husband, and our 18-month-old son. I entrusted my life and treatment to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (a non-profit hospital), which provided compassionate, professional, and life-saving care. I fought through 15 rounds of chemotherapy, 3 unexpected hospitalizations, a mastectomy, 22 lymph nodes removed, 25 radiation sessions, and reconstruction surgery.

I'm awed by Dana Farber's cutting-edge research and top-quality treatment. My huge gratitude goes especially to my care team (Dr. Anne Partridge, Dr. Daniel Morganstern, Dr. Laura Dominici, Dr. Jennifer Pretz, Dr. Jessica Erdmann-Sager, Julie Salinger), as well as the countless nurses, physicians' assistants, doctors, researchers, and other professionals who have devoted their lives to fighting cancer, the emperor of all maladies.

I am eager to invest my renewed energy and time into fighting cancer, so I've decided to participate in the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) for the fourth time.

I support the PMC because it is leading a charge to beat cancer. 100% of rider-raised revenue goes directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure.

I feel a kinship with all of those diagnosed with cancer who have come before me and those who will come after me -- those who endure pain, loss, and suffering through diagnoses, treatments, and clinical trials in hopes that one day this disease will be history.

Thank you in advance for your support.