This training season was off to a good start with a mix of intensive peloton rides and about 150 miles on the road under my belt to date. We enjoyed lots of fun and exciting springtime events especially Matthew’s graduation from Tulane. Then my family was thrown yet another curveball. CANCER SUCKS and it has once again invaded my inner circle. Most of you know I lost my beautiful mom Adrienne to lung cancer in December. In mid-May, my father in law Buddy was diagnosed with Leukemia. We were able to immediately get him in to see the best doctor's Dana Farber has to offer and he was accepted into a Phase 3 clinical trial which has shown promising results but he has a fight ahead and overnight my mother in law, sister in law and my wife Jocelyn have become intensive caregivers. My father in law Buddy had planned to ride in his 23rd PMC at the age of 82 but he will have to be sidelined this year. We are hopeful the treatment is successful because he has a lot of living left to do and this blow has made me more motivated than ever to ride my bike with purpose and raise as much money as I can to help fight the fight!
The Pan-Mass Challenge will take place on August 5-6th and this year Team Perry is reaching for its 10 MILLION DOLLAR MILESTONE!
In addition to my Buddy’s current battle, my mom Adrienne Deutsch passed away from Lung Cancer this past December, and a friend from our community just lost her courageous fight a week ago and there are too many other examples to share. This is just another reminder…there is still so much work to do!
If you have supported me in the past...you probably don't need to read any further. If you haven't - here is my story and how I got on this journey and why I remain so committed to the cause. As many of you know, my sisters in laws first husband Perry passed away in 1999 after a short battle with cancer of the small bowel. It is hard to believe that it was 24 years ago, July 4th weekend that Perry and Melissa sat in his hospital room to learn of his diagnosis – the entire family was devastated. Melissa, Perry, Jocelyn and I were married in a double wedding less than 2 years and he was the picture of health! We knew it would be a hard road but Perry was a fighter and we had every reason to believe he would beat it. Four months later, he was gone. It is still unthinkable that Perry, a marathon runner and tri-athlete, lost his life at the age of 32.
Perry gave me some very special and significant gifts during his life and with his passing. First, he gave everyone he met his passion for life and his love and when you are loved you can do ANYTHING! Second, he gave us his incredible spirit of competition and drive and therefore this mission has transcended all aspects of our lives. Our family takes this “ride” and mission VERY seriously and without losing Perry, I would not be completing my 7th year and 20 for my wife Jocelyn. My sister in law leads Team Perry which is on target to raise cumulatively close to 10 million dollars this year! My sister in law is an absolute ROCK STAR! It is no small feat to manage a team of 50-70 riders who raise hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
This year, Team Perry will once again be paired with a Pedal Partner. Reina is a beautiful 15-year-old little girl who became a master chef and baker during her months at home during the pandemic! She became our Pedal Partner in 2018 after being diagnosed with B-cell ALL, a form of childhood leukemia. After battling for 2 years Reina was in remission for almost 2 years but sadly the cancer came back in 2021. Our team supported Reina as she underwent a bone marrow transplant had been in strict quarantine AGAIN for 6 months! Finally, she has the all clear! Over a year since her transplant and she is cancer free. Reina's family is so grateful to be part of the PMC family and to have been paired with Team Perry - and I think, what do we do? we just pedal our bikes. But then I think of how those pedal strokes translate to dollars, and how those dollars have funded and will continue to fund the salaries of some incredibly brilliant Fellows who've made enormous contributions to the research and treatment at Dana-Farber.
We have supported many amazing doctors over the past several years and in 2017 our 2005 Fellow was named the new Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana Farber! If this isn't proof of how our fundraising has made a difference, I don't know what is!! Our 2023 fellow has proven to be just as impressive as his predecessors! Dr. Brandon Huffman is a clinical investigator and translational researcher who is focused on bringing preclinical research ideas into clinic by designing and conducting innovative clinical trials for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. In the clinic, Dr. Huffman sees patients with all types of gastrointestinal cancers, and he is deeply invested in their ongoing care.
Ok ... so here it comes. Please GIVE and please know that no amount is too small, I really mean that.
They've made it easy - click the Donate to My Ride button to the right and help us make a difference in the fight against cancer. If you would prefer to donate by check - please make it payable to PMC-Jimmy Fund and send it to my home at 9 Vincent Lane Armonk, NY 10504
With tremendous gratitude,
Mike
P.S. To learn more about our impact check us out at teamperrypmc.com
