Last year and again this year some of you were kind enough to help me complete a 86 mile bike ride to raise money to fight pediatric brain cancer at Dana Farber in Boston.  My inspiration for riding is a very sweet 13 year old girl going on her 12^th year with brain cancer (you can see her story below).  

The great thing about the PMC is as riders we pay to ride so literally 100% of anything you donate goes directly to fund research for pediatric brain cancer, the type of cancer our friend Emma is suffering from.  2015 marks the 36th ride of the PMC, over 5,100 riders take to the streets in support of loved one’s and friends in their fight against cancer.  The riders on Team Emma all ride each year for Emma and for all of the people in your lives affected by this horrible disease as well. 

In 2010 as some of you know, I lost my father to lung cancer.  The experience has even further driven home the reality of this horrible disease and reinforced my belief that we all need to join together and find ways contribute to help fund the research to stop it.  As devastating the loss of any loved one can be it is even more unimaginable to me how difficult it must be for a family to have a child suffering from a disease like cancer.  There are children all of over the world fighting for their lives every day and families struggling to make ends meet while they fight for the life of their child.  Your donation to this ride goes directly to Dana Farber to further fund the programs treating and researching the cure for pediatric brain cancer.  My friend Emma is in these programs and will be one of many children impacted by your generous contribution.

As always if you can find a way to support my ride I will happily support your efforts in something as well.  Please do what you can and know that because of your support last year you will always be on a list of some of the most special people in my life. 

Here is a little bit about my friend Emma as written by her mother:

Our fight against cancer began on June 30, 2003 when a man in a long white coat came into a very small room in the emergency department and said, "There's something on the scan."  Five words that took my breath away. Shook me to my soul. Caused my knees to buckle and my heart to stop.  It wasn't my scan. It was my daughter's.  She wasn't yet 2. It was of her brain. I listened as he told us we needed to stay the night. He rattled through several steps that would need to be taken to prevent swelling and seizure. He mentioned a neuro surgeon. He said she could have chicken nuggets. He patted our shoulders. He gave us a pathetic smile and I think told us to "hang in there".  That was our kick off. It's been over 7 years and we are still in the ring. We're still fighting with everything we've got. We've done surgeries and chemo and feeding tubes and more surgery and more chemo and more scans. It has changed our lives. It has made us appreciate every single moment. It has shown us how kind, loving, and generous the world can truly be. It has aged us, matured us, battered us, humbled us, and made us very different people. What cancer has not been able to do is break our spirits. Emma soldiers on as though it is just another piece of the puzzle that is her life. She accepts the treatments and scans as though they simply belong in her life. She has "not so great tummy days" but refuses to let them slow her down. She is active in brownies, theater, Destination Imagination, singing, swimming, bossing her little brother around, goofing with friends, and creating amazing works of art. She's a rowdy third grader full of attitude and limit pushing. She is a treasure and a wonder to me.  I ride because I have to. It helps me breathe. It helps me wake up in the morning and face the beast. I ride to raise money to find the answers to low grade astrocytomas. I ride so the next time a child is facing a new diagnosis like this the doctors will be able to say, "We know exactly how to deal with this. We've go this one under control."  It's what I can do for this child who has blessed my life.

100% of the monies raised by Team Emma's Enchantment will go to the low grade astrocytoma research fund at DFCI. Advances are being made towards management of this persistent menace. Any support you can offer to my ride would be greatly appreciated.

Please support our ride and the fight against cancer:

Donate online by clicking this link:

http://www.pmc.org/profile/RB0205

Make a check out to PMC and mail it to:

Rick Brenner

CO NH Fisher Cats

One Line Drive

Manchester NH 03101

Thank you for your continued Support!!

Rick