I am a virtual rider in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge bike ride, and I ride in memory of my late grandmother and grandfather. My grandmother was the strongest soul I was lucky to have loved. She is one of the main reasons I looked forwarding to returning to Japan in my childhood summers -- I knew she would be home waiting for us with our favorite food ready, and uttering no complaints despite the pain she must have experienced due to cancer.

My grandfather was a fun-loving, hardworking business owner whom his children admired and grandchildren adored. Cancer took him at an early age, before I was born, but I still pray to him as if I knew him.

I ride to support cancer research to prevent the premature loss of loved ones, as I experienced with my grandmother and grandfather. Please consider donating to my fund. All of the donations will go to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, a major leading cancer research center.