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Cancer touches every family in some way and I've decided to do something more this year to help find a cure. I have committed to raising $10,000 for cancer research by cycling 200 miles in the 2024 Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). This will be my 6th year riding in the PMC, and probably my toughest test yet! Just 13 months ago I underwent reconstructive spine surgery on my neck. While my road to recovery has been difficult at times, it pales in comparison to the pain and suffering Cancer patients fight through every day. So I am determined to get back on my saddle and complete the 200 mile trek across Massachusetts to do my part to help find more cures for this brutal disease. This year I am proudly riding with my team, the "Fraid Knots" from Barrington RI. 
This all started 14 years ago when 8 year old Charlie Ames, son of our dear freinds Garrett and Amy, was diagnosed with Brain cancer. Charlie was told by physicians at Boston Children's Hospital that he would need a surgery to remove the tumor in his head. Without missing a beat, in his indomitable spirit, Charlie said, "my favorite song is Not Afraid by Eminem, and so let's go and get this thing out. I am not afraid!" Charlie's surgery went perferctly and he made a miraculous recovery. He went on to become a tremendous student, as well as a Varsity hockey captian and lacrosse athlete in High School. Just recently, in May 2024 Charlie graduated from Colorado State University. This is how our mission and team name "the Fraid Knots" was born. Through my PMC ride, I know that we are making a difference in the lives of patients at Dana-Farber and around the world. The funds we raise support the innovative work of doctors, nurses, and scientists in their search for cures for cancers and related diseases. Dana-Farber is one of the top three cancer institutions in the world, and over the last 10 years, has helped develop nearly one in four FDA-approved cancer drugs in the US.
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