Dear Family and Friends,
I rode in 15 Pan Mass Challenges (including the 2025 Winter Cycle) and volunteered for 12 years. On August 2, 2025, I will be volunteering at Mass Maritime in Bourne as my health has not allowed me to ride the PMC this August. I feel blessed that I have been allowed the true privilege to counsel, care for, advise, treat, and operate on all of my cancer patients of the past. My health dictated that I retire from clinical medicine and surgery as of 01/01/2023. Joli has volunteered and this will be her 19th year in Bourne! Nicole has volunteered for 9 years and rode 2 years! Jen (who coordinated and ran the first Stoughton, Ma. PMC Kid’s Ride in 2008) volunteered for 10 years. Two of my grandchildren, Jen's oldest son and daugher rode in the Canton PMC Kids ride in 2019. Evan (who rode in the PMC in 2007) volunterred for 10 years, Andrew, Jen's husband, volunterred for 9 years. Meredith, Evan's wife, volunterred for 2 years! The PMC Mission to help in the fight against cancer has become part of my (our) life mission too.
I was thoroughly impressed and in awe as I watched from the roadside in Bourne, a patient and a dear friend of mine, herself a cancer survivor, complete her third PMC in August 2005. She is now 24 years cancer free!! It was then in Aurgust of 2005 that I decided to set out on this journey of training, fund raising and riding in the PMC to give even more to my patients and to all those who may or are suffering with cancer. Like her, all of my patients are an inspiration to me to do more than I have as their surgeon over the past 44 years.
Cancer can arise in any organ of the body and strikes 1 of every 2 American men and 1 of every 3 American women at some point in their lives. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the USA after heart disease. With each mile pedaled, the PMC brings the researchers at Dana Farber closer to finding cures for various cancers that affect millions of people each year!
In 2019 I was diagnosed with metastatic cancer and went through a 10 month clinical trial at Dana Farber which included medications and radiation and then radical surgery in October 2019. I subsequently develped a recurrence for which I recieved additional therapy (medications and radiation) and later another recurrence for which more therapy (more medications and radiation) was given by Dana Farber. I am a testament to what Dana Farber can and does do!
Economic times are tough…cancer is tougher! We all are short on money…all cancer patients are short on time! The PMC donates 100% of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause: preventing and fighting cancer. The PMC is responsible for generating half of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and is Dana Farber’s single largest contributor. Our family's and Dana Farber’s ultimate goal is to put ourselves out of work…i.e., eradicate cancer. If you can help me help my patients, and the millions of others too, please make a contribution electronically at www.pmc.org or send a check made out to PMC-Jimmy Fund to: Ric Paulson, 47 Oldfield Drive, South Easton, MA 02375. If you have any questions about donations or the corporate matching funds program, don’t hesitate to contact me, DocRLP@aol.com.
This ride is for my patients and ALL those affected by cancer
