Hello Friends,

Why do I put the time and effort in fundraising and riding?......Because it is a way for me to be able to contribute and focus some of my energy to help doctors, nurses, and researchers fight cancer.

Cancer beat my family this year. My father was diagnosed in July 2024 with stage 4 glioblastoma or brain cancer. Despite getting the best practices and leading edge care available, he lost his fight in February. We need to continue to search for cures and fight to beat it.

I continue to ride for some specific friends and family members - some who are fighting, some who are survivors, and others we have lost:

Michael Willis Sr., James Willis, Don Brems, Blanche Gaffney, Matt Biniarz, Chuck Kowalske, Dell Whittemore, Jerry Brown, Donna Nazzaro, John Mullen, Ellen Sidell, James Willis Jr., Shelia Willis, Rich Bartram, Jeff H, Julie Putt, Warren Parr, and Lynn Willis......... We still have a lot of work to do.

I'm a proud supporter of the Pan-Mass Challenge https://www.pmc.org/ - It's leading the charge to beat cancer.

I'll be riding with Team Crank established in 2012. 100% of Team Crank's fundraising goes to the following funds:

• Dr. Stegmaier’s AML Research Fund
• Claudia Adams Barr Program for Innovative Research
• Dr. Wen’s Brain Tumor Research Fund
• Pediatric Low-Grade Astrocytoma Program
• Dr. Bandopadhayay's Research Fund (part of the PLGA effort)
• Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers

We ride August 2nd and 3rd. This year I will be riding my 6th consecutive Pan Mass Challenge, a 192 mile two day bike ride to support cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Due to the generosity of the Warren Alpert Foundation (WAF) all of your tax deductible donations will be doubled, and all the funds you donate go 100% to the world renowned Dana Farber. Your donations are the “seed” money that allows Dana Farber to develop new and experimental drugs for life-saving advanced treatments that Dana Farber has been so instrumental in developing (nearly half of the patents for new cancer drugs come from, or involved, cancer research at DFCI).

PLEASE JOIN ME THIS YEAR IN THE FIGHT TO FIND A CURE

I've made a personal commitment to ride and raise $9,000 in honor of the friends and family members above. 

I hope you can help me achieve this goal.

Please consider donating. I sincerely appreciate any and all comments of support and encouragement.

Be Well,

Mike Willis

Mike Willis