Why I ride... There are so many reasons. A decade and a half of professional exposure to this disease has taught a great deal of lessons. The longer I work in cancer care, and through my annual PMC rice, there is one resounding truth I have learned- cancer touches us all in one way or another. Whether it be a father, mother, wife, friend, young parent you know in town, we are all exposed to cancer repeatedly in our lives. Although nothing can prepare one for how to react when challenged face to face, I have learned action is better than inaction, empowerment better than feeling powerless in the face of adversity. 

I ride because I can. I ride becase of the thousands of faces I get to see every year on the side of the roads of Massachusetts. These faces see hope in this ride. These faces from every walk of life see a mission to better the lives of those who have cancer and those who love(d) someone with cancer. We ride and you donate because we always believe we can do something, we can learn something through painstaking research, we can have better time no matter how long that may be, and we can rid more people we love of this disease tomorrow than we could yesterday... 

Having lost my Dad to cancer last year, the journey with this disease is never far from my mind. Spending a career trying to help those contending with cancer only to have it strike so close to home was rather surreal. But not unique. And yet, going to work to be present with patients remains a defining event in my every day. I will never cease to be amazed by the courage cancer requires, and provokes.

Through the years, I have held the hands of patients who have passed but for whom I miss each in their own way. Still, others have entered into their cancer experience - some very young, and others who expected to be spending their middle adulthood chasing grandchildren. Why I ride, for me, continues each and every year to be an opportunity to stand up to cancer. It is an opportunity for me to ask others to help out, a little bit here, a little bith there, all pulling in the direction of a better tomorrow.

Like so many others, my family is now like so many others who have been touched by this disease. However, it is the cancer experience that drove the creativity and tanacity necessary in the creation of the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC). Coming to life more than 40 years ago, this annual ride involves a commitment to capture the imense human capital of all those touched by cancer in the drive to ask for help and provide the means to get answers to how we get closer to a better tomorrow. It is this fundrasing that drives life saving and life improving research. It is this commitment and participation in something larger than ourselves that brings myself and thousands of other riders forward each and every year. And it is this commitment to support which provides all of you with the same fulfillment... Action is better than inaction...

This year I ride to honor all those who have touched my life- family, friends and patients alike. I will always, as long as I am able, ride for my current patients who cannot. And I will always ride for my patients who have passed- how I still think of them and all of their strength and grace offered in the midst of the most human of struggles.

So many of us continue our fight in our quest to ease the burden of cancer for all. The voices who have passed on from this life continue to express their experience in our memories. We must never stop seeking and searching for answers of how to care for patients and loved ones as it is our common humanity we share that unites us in this quest to ease the burdens of cancer on us all.

For those of us who remain- wives, sisters, brothers, daughters, grandchildren, significant others, friends, caregivers- seeking to do something more, join me with your support.

PMC weekend stands for the promise for a better future in cancer care.

I will be thinking of my Dad as I ride again this year. It will be nice to be with him in that way. Please consider joining all of the riders and volunteers committed to this cause. As the saying goes, there is a lot riding on us.

I'm a proud supporter of the PMC because it is leading a charge to beat cancer. Last year, like every year, 100% of rider-raised revenue went directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure.