It is indeed that time of year once again and our plea this year seems like the biggest yet. Here’s the facts shared with us by Billy Starr himself last week. “We are living in a climate of economic uncertainty and science under attack. President Trump has proposed a 40% cut to the NIH budget, billions of which could impact New England. The impact to Dana Farber could be 50 million and up to 200 million over the next four years. NIH grants fuel the science that saves lives. These funds do not sit in endowment, they’re at work in the labs and clinics in Boston and world wide. Losing those funds and /or the people who utilize them means stalling progress and slowing the momentum in our fight against cancer. This is not politics; it’s personal. Because patients –our friends, our families and ourselves – are the ones who will pay the price. That is why what you do – what we do- matters more than ever. We, the PMC team, are the largest single contributors to Dana Farber. When others are pumping the brakes, we need to accelerate. We ride to raise money but as importantly, we ride to protect progress. We ride to defend HOPE. And we ride to ensure that nothing, and no one stands in the way of our funding the cures for cancer.”
Our cousin recently shared a beautiful collaboration whereby awareness is being brought to causes that support our youngest community members through poetry. This is a poem written by Arya who is 10 years old. It has been published in an anthology for and by children with pediatric cancer.
My Traumatic Experience
Pain pain go away
Wash away my painful ways
Remove me from this awful bed
Get this tumor out of my head
I miss my brother and family
So let me go home
Where I can be free
Clearly, our work goes on. Our family has remained stedfast in our goal as always. But our goal is just a bike ride without your support. This year, the Drake riders include myself, Mike, Sarah and Connor. Hannah and Dan will be riding on their own and supporting us in every way. The PMC continues to donate every single rider raised dollar directly to DFCI!
We have committed to raising $24,000 dollars by August of 2025. Yes, you heard that right!
Check your workplace for matching funds. You can make an online donation at www.pmc.org/egifts by searching our names. You can also write a check to PMC- Jimmy Fund and send to our address at 12C Founders Square, Greenland NH 03840. Thank you so much for your support, and as we say around here: see you on the road! With all of our love, the Drakes
