#1 Reason Why I Ride: This year, I ride for my Grandpa Lance. This year is particularly meaningful because the PMC starts on August 3rd, shortly after the anniversary of his passing on July 25th, 2023. Even though prostate cancer was not the cause of his death, my Grandpa was treated for it at Dana-Farber in Boston, which is the sole beneficiary of the PMC's fundraising efforts. Dana-Farber took such great care of him, and since 100% of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber, I see my PMC fundraising efforts as a way to say "thank you" to them -- as we later learned the hard way that our loved ones do not always receive the level of care we hope for, but my Grandpa did at Dana-Farber. I also ride in honor of my grandpa Larry and grandma Tilly, who had their own battles with prostate and breast cancer.

#2 Reason Why I Ride: When I rode the PMC from 2013 to 2015, it was my first taste of philanthropy, and the scale of the event left a lasting impact on me. My most vivid memory isn’t actually the ~6,000 riders lining up at the start, but the sea of volunteers and spectators who lined the streets of Wellesley and Foxboro, supporting in their own ways. Cancer is one of those things with such a pervasive reach that the metrics surrounding it become hard to truly internalize just by reading — and the PMC is one of those rare experiences that brings this reality into sharp focus.