I am riding in memory of Margaret A. Goodhue (Peg) 1952-2011
Some people want a new house…a new car…a new mobile phone…to lose weight…but people battling cancer want just one thing…to win the battle. Peg wanted to win her battle for our grandchildren Anna, Jake, and Zoran. She wanted to win her battle for our children David and Dawn. I believe most of all, she wanted to win the battle for me. Her body was weak but she fought with the heart of a tiger, but even tigers do not always win their battles; Peg lost hers on March 26, 2011.
On, August 7 & 8, 2021, the Pan Mass Challenge for cancer will occur, I will have completed my 200 mile ride by then. In 8 PMC's I started with thousands of other riders, last year I rode my 192 miles on Cape Cod alone and with my brother in law, over two days. This year I will ride 192 miles to Provincetown all here on Cape Cod over two days the week before the official PMC. Although I will be mostly alone, as opposed to being with thousands of other rides it will be no less emotional for me. It will have been 10 years since Peg lost her battle and this will be my 10th PMC ride.
In addition, in I will participate in the Prouty Ultimate, a 2 day 200 mile ride benefiting the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. This difficult hilly ride is the NCCC’s version of the PMC may be also a virtual this year and I will do it here on the Cape. I am committed to these causes, thus I once again I plan to make a 4 day, 400 mile effort for cancer research for a cure.
I also will make a personal donation equal to 1/2 of ALL of my donations up to the date of the PMC, if my anticipated $16,000 goal is exceeded I will match dollar for dollar anything over. I am committed to this physically, emotionally, and financially, and it is my birthday gift to myself and Dana Farber.
I am doing this in memory of my dear wife, Peg, who lost her battle with Lung Cancer and:
- to honor too many friends and loved ones lost to cancer
I may be riding in memory of my dear Peg, but I am riding FOR the LIVING, fighting cancer.
- to support all my other friends and family members fighting cancer
- for the scores of people I have met on my PMC “journey”in the last 10 years
- for everyone who is currently or will eventually be fighting cancer
- in appreciation of all those that support cancer patients or search for a cure.
I am eternally grateful to all the people who supported me over the last 10 years. Perhaps one of those generously donated dollars will give an advantage to someone fighting cancer, so that they can enjoy a full, long life in a way that my dear Peg was not able to. To that end, the answer to my prayer “to have something good come out of my loss” will be fulfilled.
I'm a proud supporter of the PMC and Dana Farber. The people at Dana Farber couldn’t have been more caring and compassionate to my wife and me while we were in their care. Some of Peg’s cells are still being used at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's labs; so in a way, she is still in the fight to find a cure. I am doing this in memory of and as a tribute to my darling Peg, my hero, and for all the people fighting cancer today.
Paul Goodhue
56 Gibson Rd
Orleans, MA 02653
Age: 72
In Memory of:
Margaret A. Goodhue