I AM LIVING PROOF and have decided to proudly ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge because I fully support their mission of raising funds for cancer research and treatment.

In April of 2012, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and my life was immediately changed. After many months of treatment at the Tomorrow Fund Clinic in Providence, I was deemed cancer free and remain so today. If I were to have been diagnosed just 10 years earlier the statistics for my survival were not nearly as good. Research is important, sharing information and creating treatment protocols is necessary. The treatment protocol for my disease was the same in Providence, Boston and around the world because of this shared information. The money raised during this event in some ways helped save my life and I am living proof of their mission!

After my diagnosis my father immediately started looking for any way to help me, as well as help himself from going crazy while I was going through chemotherapy. He signed up for the Pan-Mass Challenge a few weeks after my diagnosis in 2012 and has been riding in this event ever since. During this time we talked about riding together one day when I was well to do so and the time has finally come! This year I'll be riding in my second PMC with my father, good friend Calvin, and cousin Brendan during the first weekend in August. After being the recipient of so much generosity and kindness, I am so excited be in a position to help others and provide hope to all those fighting cancer.

If you are able, please help me in my mission to raise funds to help find a cure for cancer. The PMC is committed to this mission and 100 percent of funds raised by PMC participants go directly to Dana-Farber.