2024
This September will be 2 years since we lost my mother, Tatiana. It's hard to believe how much time has already passed. The dust has settled, and we've somehow adjusted to our new normal. We've learned to live our day-to-day without my mom's beautiful smile, kindness, wisdom, and support. What seemed like could never be possible has slowly become our reality. I mean.. who thought my dad and I would survive our 50+ mile training rides without my mom's homemade katleti and supchik waiting for us when we get home? Thank God for take-out sushi! Who thought I could keep her beautiful flower garden alive? With some brief poring over the The New Gardener's Handbook, the peonies and rhododenrons bloomed in full force anyway!
My mother is everywhere with me. She is in everything I do and every interaction I have. Every day, I find myself asking, what would she do in this moment? Though she may no longer be physically present, I keep her beautiful essence in me and let it guide me through each day.
These past nearly 2 years have been life-changing in ways I couldn't have imagined. However, I have never felt so much support from people from all walks of my life. I would not be in the place I am today, marching on without my mom, if it wasn't for the incredible friends, family, colleagues, and everyone else in between. With that, I thank you all for considering supporting me in raising money for Dana Farber. We are so forever grateful for this institution and all that it did for my mother.
2023
Dear Friends and Family,
Coming up with the right words to share this year has been so difficult. On September 20th, 2022, we said goodbye to my mom - my best friend. For the first time, I’m riding in loving memory of my mother, who gave me everything she could up until her last day here on Earth. No moment has felt the same without her, and her missing presence is felt every second of the day.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute allowed my mom 10 precious years of life after her diagnosis of Stage 3C ovarian cancer. The oncologists, nurses, techs, CNAs, and everyone in between worked tirelessly to care for my mom - whether that was enrolling her in clinical trials, checking in on how she was doing, caring for her during her frightening and exhausting inpatient stays. I am so thankful for all the people who spent an extra moment of their busy day caring for her or talking us through what was happening. In the 10 years following my moms diagnosis, I grew from a 14-year-old girl to a 24-year-old young woman — graduating high school, graduating college at UMass Amherst, graduating with a masters degree from Boston University, and starting a job at Boston Children’s Hospital.
My Boston University graduation in May 2022 will always be a memorable day for me - my dad was at Spaulding Rehab Hospital recovering from his PMC training bike fall that resulted in 13 broken bones. My mom was at a point where leaving the house took so much energy out of her. Yet, despite it all, she visited my dad several times in the hospital and came to my graduation to cheer me on through this huge accomplishment. Seeing her in the crowd, summoning her strength to show up for me, left me with unforgettable love, pride, and respect for my mother.
After my graduation came a grueling and scary summer, with quickly declining health and the realization that my biggest fear was approaching more quickly than I could accept. Nevertheless, my mother saw me through to my first day at Boston Children’s on September 6th - although she was in her last few weeks of life and in a critical condition on an inpatient floor down the street at Brigham & Women’s. For my first two weeks of work, I would visit her before, during, and after my shifts. Despite the pain and suffering she was going through, she still smiled when I would come through the door, listening to my stories and telling the nurses how proud she was of me. Now, every morning I walk into work just around the corner from where we had our last moments together, and I remember that warm smile of encouragement that only a mother can give.
Mama, I miss you more than my heart can process. I only hope that a time comes where no one is summoned to suffer from this awful disease. Last year's ride was not completed – with my dad's injuries and my mom's health, it wasn't in the cards for us. However, this year I am determined. Please join me in my fundraising efforts for Dana Farber Cancer Institute - a place to where I will be forever grateful.
June 18th 1961 - September 20th 2022
2022
Dear Friends and Family,
This August will be my first full-length PMC ride – 162 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown across two days time. As always, this ride is dedicated to my mother, who is nearing her 10th year of fiercley battling her Ovarian cancer diagnosis. Last year was an unbelievably challenging year for her – with multiple hospitalizations and significant changes to her health. So far this year, she has trialed a chemotherapy which proved to be unsuccessful and is now enrolled in a clinical trial that requires her to stay inpatient at Brigham and Women's Hospital 4 out of 7 days of the week. While the trial is exhuasting and stressful, often leaving my mom feeling sick and fatigued on the few days she can be home with her family, her positive attitude and strength throughout this process is a model to anyone and everyone who faces a life-threatening obstacle. She is a brave soul that refuses to give up. She is my motivation to succeed across all walks of life and to be a kind, empathetic person. My father has dedicated so much time and care to his wife, constantly putting her first without a single complaint. He is yet another role model to me, a beautiful picture of what love and family looks like. I am so excited to take on these 162 miles with him by my side, playing our part in conquering this disease that has affected the lives of millions and millions.
I will ride in honor of my mama, my mama's mama, and so many others in the world who have been affected by cancer. We thank Dana Farber Cancer Institute every single day of our lives for the incredible doctors, researchers, nurses, and every worker in between who has been a part of my mom's care and who has never stopped helping her fight this fight.
With your donation, no matter how big or small, you can also play a role in helping all those my mother have an ability to live a fulfilled, healthy life.
With lots of love, Masha
