2021 - Crossing the finish line with my dad! This picture means everything to me! RIP Dad xoxo

Another year around the sun, it is going so fast and the PMC always arrives with the first weekend in August! In February, it seems like forever until we will be riding again and now it's May and the PMC is just 13 weeks away. This year, Max planned to join me on the road. He got a new bike in advance of his 21st birthday and he was gearing up for a great training season. A bad landing on a ski jump at Copper Mountain will delay his inaugural ride a year. A ruptured ACL with surgery and months of recovery ahead of him! I just got back from 2 weeks in Denver taking care of him post surgery and I have only been on my bike twice, (besides Denver, a case of Flu B has slowed down the training...and rain has not helped)....but, the excuses are irrelevant, come August 2nd I will be back on my bike participating in my 25th PMC!

This year feels incredibly important after hearing about many cuts to scientific research dollars. Cancer isn't slowing down, so we need to keep fighting. 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 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 26 years ago, July 4th weekend that Perry and I sat in his hospital room to learn of his diagnosis - we were devastated. We had been married 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 me his love and when you are loved you can do ANYTHING! Second, he gave me his incredible spirit of competition and drive and this has transcended all aspects of my life. Third, he gave me permission to love again, and this has obviously meant everything to me and my family. And finally, he gave me my second full-time job and a personal mission to play a role in the fight against this terrible disease! I take this job and mission VERY seriously and without losing Perry, I would not be leading this team that has contributed more than 10 Million Dollars to cancer reasearch.

My capacity to love and be loved only grew with Perry's passing and I could not do any of this without the love and support of my husband Josh (and our kids Max and Ryan). It is no small feat to manage a team of 50+ riders who raise hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Josh not only allows me the time to coordinate the troops and go on the much needed training rides but he also understands my passion to try and make a difference. Words cannot express my love and gratitude for his support - he is an incredible man, husband and father.

We have supported many amazing doctors over the past several years and in 2017 our 2005 Fellow was named the new Director of the Gastrointestincal 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 2025 fellow has proven to be just as impressive as his predecessors! Dr. Asaf Maoz, who grew up in Haifa, Israel and joined DFCI in 2024. His research focuses on the detection and prevention of hereditary cancers and the treatment of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. 

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 33 Liberty Street, Natick, MA 01760.

Thank you!
Melissa

P.S. To learn more about our impact check us out at teamperrypmc.com