Our Story
When my wife Jenna and I got married in 2013, it was a day we would never forget. We promised each other that we would love one another through sickness and health. That promise couldn’t be any more meaningful today because in April 2023, Jenna was diagnosed with colon cancer, stage IV with metastasis to the liver. The day we found out of Jenna's cancer diagnosis is also a day that we will unfortunately never forget. Despite the stark differences in those days, I reiterated my vow to Jenna. I would be by her side every single step of the way through her fight against cancer.
After many appointments with doctors, countless scans, and several sleepless nights, Jenna’s oncologist at The Angeles Clinic, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai, established a plan and initiated Jenna’s treatment on May 12, 2023. Jenna underwent chemotherapy and then was eventually transitioned to immunotherapy, but for 2-3 months, we continued treatments not exactly knowing how her body was going to respond. Several infusions and scans later, we got promising news. Jenna liver tumor shrunk!
As we navigated our transition to our new normal, we were fortunate to get a consultation appointment with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—a facility that happens to also treat Jenna’s mother, Kit for a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor—3000 miles across the country in Boston, MA. Their liver and colon surgeons agreed that Jenna was a candidate for surgery.
As we've learned all too well with cancer, medical decisions are made swiftly. On November 19 2023, Jenna and I flew out to Boston to have liver and colon operated on. Initially scheduled to be a 5 hour procedure for a liver resection and a laparoscopic colectomy, Jenna bravely endured a 7 hour procedure for her liver only. While we were disappointed that her colon surgery had to be postponed, we were still thrilled that doctors were able to successfully remove her liver tumor. The added bonus was that Jenna would be able to recover from one surgery instead of two, but also spend quality time with her family, who live outside of the Boston area. By January 4, 2024, Jenna underwent the 2nd half and final part of her procedure, this time removing the tumor in her colon.
I’m so impressed by Jenna’s bravery, strength and resilience. Today, Jenna is back home in Los Angeles, in great spirits and is doing good. So good in fact, that she’s back at work. From what we can see, she is on a path back to being healthy and hopefully cancer free. Without The Angeles Clinic and The Dana Farber Cancer Institute, I would not have Jenna by my side.
That is why I am raising $10,000 towards cancer research this year and I am asking for your help get me to my goal.
The PMC Challenge
I'm excited to participate in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) on August 3, 2024. This incredible bike event supports cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. The PMC raises millions of dollars every year with the help of thousands of dedicated cyclists who ride through different routes across Massachusetts. Every dollar raised in this event goes directly to The Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Year after year, advancements in cancer treatment continue to develop at a rapid pace, thanks to the tireless research efforts of institutes like Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and The Angeles Clinic in Los Angeles. These institutions are at the forefront of pioneering cancer treatments.
Cancer Can Happen to Anyone
Last year in 2023, the same year of Jenna's diagnosis, the American Cancer Society wrote that around 153,000 people in the United States would be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023. Out of all these cases, about 13 percent would happen in people under 50, showing a 9 percent increase in this age group since 2020. In addition, a study conducted in August found a notable rise in cancer cases among people under the age of 50 between 2010 and 2019. Among all early-onset cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, including the same colon cancer that Jenna just fought, exhibited the most rapid increase.
Why I Ride
This year, my participation in the PMC is going to be exciting for a number of reasons. For starters, I'm taking part in my very first PMC, in honor of my wife, Jenna. My wife is a constant source of inspiration, and gives me hope that we can find a cure for cancer. Jenna exemplifies the courage and strength that can come from a cancer diagnosis, showing that it is the never the end but the start of a transformative journey.
Secondly, as a newcomer to the PMC, I have the opportunity to ride alongside my father-in-law, Don, who is participating in honor of Jenna's mom, Kit.
Jenna and I are incredibly excited to be a part of the amazing Pan-Mass Challenge community. It's truly remarkable to think that this year, the PMC ison track to exceed $1 billion in funds raised for cancer research since it began in 1980.
My PMC ride also honors the memory of our loved ones:
• Guadalupe Babar, my maternal grandmother and the person who taught me how to be a good human being, who passed away in 1996 from lung cancer.
• Maruja Babar, my aunt and mom’s sister/best friend, who passed away in 2016 from lung cancer.
• Alfredo Babar Jr, my uncle and mom’s only brother, who passed away in 2004 from lung cancer, stage IV.
• Rick Daza, a close family friend and someone I’ve known since elementary school, who passed away in 2022 after his battle with pancreatic cancer.
Our Story
When my wife Jenna and I got married in 2013, it was a day we would never forget. We promised each other that we would love one another through sickness and health. That promise couldn’t be any more meaningful today because in April 2023, Jenna was diagnosed with colon cancer, stage IV with metastasis to the liver. The day we found out of Jenna's cancer diagnosis is also a day that we will unfortunately never forget. Despite the stark differences in those days, I reiterated my vow to Jenna. I would be by her side every single step of the way through her fight against cancer.
After many appointments with doctors, countless scans, and several sleepless nights, Jenna’s oncologist at The Angeles Clinic, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai, established a plan and initiated Jenna’s treatment on May 12, 2023. Jenna underwent chemotherapy and then was eventually transitioned to immunotherapy, but for 2-3 months, we continued treatments not exactly knowing how her body was going to respond. Several infusions and scans later, we got promising news. Jenna liver tumor shrunk!
As we navigated our transition to our new normal, we were fortunate to get a consultation appointment with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—a facility that happens to also treat Jenna’s mother, Kit for a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor—3000 miles across the country in Boston, MA. Their liver and colon surgeons agreed that Jenna was a candidate for surgery.
As we've learned all too well with cancer, medical decisions are made swiftly. On November 19 2023, Jenna and I flew out to Boston to have liver and colon operated on. Initially scheduled to be a 5 hour procedure for a liver resection and a laparoscopic colectomy, Jenna bravely endured a 7 hour procedure for her liver only. While we were disappointed that her colon surgery had to be postponed, we were still thrilled that doctors were able to successfully remove her liver tumor. The added bonus was that Jenna would be able to recover from one surgery instead of two, but also spend quality time with her family, who live outside of the Boston area. By January 4, 2024, Jenna underwent the 2nd half and final part of her procedure, this time removing the tumor in her colon.
I’m so impressed by Jenna’s bravery, strength and resilience. Today, Jenna is back home in Los Angeles, in great spirits and is doing good. So good in fact, that she’s back at work. From what we can see, she is on a path back to being healthy and hopefully cancer free. Without The Angeles Clinic and The Dana Farber Cancer Institute, I would not have Jenna by my side.
That is why I am raising $10,000 towards cancer research this year and I am asking for your help get me to my goal.
The PMC Challenge
I'm excited to participate in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) on August 3, 2024. This incredible bike event supports cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. The PMC raises millions of dollars every year with the help of thousands of dedicated cyclists who ride through different routes across Massachusetts. Every dollar raised in this event goes directly to The Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Year after year, advancements in cancer treatment continue to develop at a rapid pace, thanks to the tireless research efforts of institutes like Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and The Angeles Clinic in Los Angeles. These institutions are at the forefront of pioneering cancer treatments.
Cancer Can Happen to Anyone
Last year in 2023, the same year of Jenna's diagnosis, the American Cancer Society wrote that around 153,000 people in the United States would be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023. Out of all these cases, about 13 percent would happen in people under 50, showing a 9 percent increase in this age group since 2020. In addition, a study conducted in August found a notable rise in cancer cases among people under the age of 50 between 2010 and 2019. Among all early-onset cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, including the same colon cancer that Jenna just fought, exhibited the most rapid increase.
Why I Ride
This year, my participation in the PMC is going to be exciting for a number of reasons. For starters, I'm taking part in my very first PMC, in honor of my wife, Jenna. My wife is a constant source of inspiration, and gives me hope that we can find a cure for cancer. Jenna exemplifies the courage and strength that can come from a cancer diagnosis, showing that it is the never the end but the start of a transformative journey.
Secondly, as a newcomer to the PMC, I have the opportunity to ride alongside my father-in-law, Don, who is participating in honor of Jenna's mom, Kit.
Jenna and I are incredibly excited to be a part of the amazing Pan-Mass Challenge community. It's truly remarkable to think that this year, the PMC ison track to exceed $1 billion in funds raised for cancer research since it began in 1980.
My PMC ride also honors the memory of our loved ones:
• Guadalupe Babar, my maternal grandmother and the person who taught me how to be a good human being, who passed away in 1996 from lung cancer.
• Maruja Babar, my aunt and mom’s sister/best friend, who passed away in 2016 from lung cancer.
• Alfredo Babar Jr, my uncle and mom’s only brother, who passed away in 2004 from lung cancer, stage IV.
• Rick Daza, a close family friend and someone I’ve known since elementary school, who passed away in 2022 after his battle with pancreatic cancer.
| 2024 | $8,033.36 | Wellesley to Bourne (1-Day, Sat) |
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Mike Asuncion
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