Summer of '24. Waves crashing against the shore, burgers sizzling on the grill, top down hair blowing in the wind. Whatever your pleasure, summer is a magical time in New England. And in August every year, a group of us make some magic of our own by clipping in and pedaling from somewhere near to somewhere far.

Hitting the Road

I am riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge again this summer on August 3rd. This will be my seventh year in the PMC, and contrary to popular wisdom, every year I have to relearn how to successfully and safely “ride a bike.” I ride with the Biker’s Dozen, a group of friends that have been brought together by a shared desire to help each other and help others who are affected by cancer in their families or themselves.

Drug approved by the FDA!

Our work makes a difference. This year, the Food and Drug Administration approved a drug to treat pediatric brain tumors that was discovered at Dana Farber. Much of the funding for the research that led to its discovery was raised by the Biker’s Dozen and a few other teams. This discovery will save lives and be safer and less toxic along the way. It’s an incredible achievement – only a small number of drugs are approved in a year. Donor funded research that results in an FDA approval is cause for celebration.

You can help

So, join me in raising the funds that support this amazing cause. It does make a difference, and every dollar is donated to support the work. There are many ways to donate. If you’d like to know more, check this out: pmc.org/impact. If you would like to support my ride, please take a look at my profile page at pmc.org/mf0319. Or support my son Andrew at pmc.org/af0213. If you know a bunch of the folks on our team, support everyone at pmc.org/tn0032. Whatever you decide to do, I appreciate your support.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have an enjoyable summer.

With gratitude,

Mark Fisher