This August, my daughter Kelly and I will be riding our first Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). For those of you unfamiliar with the PMC, it is 2 day, 180 Mile bike ride, that raises funds for life-saving research and compassionate care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

As I write this letter, Kelly and I have just finished a 25-miler through the stubborn hills in Harvard, MA. What I discovered between the miles and the muscle aches is that there is a lot of time to think. My first thought is why the heck am I out here riding for hours on end, and then thoughts of my Dad came rushing into my head. How could it be that he was taken from us almost 32 years ago? I think of all the cool stuff we did together growing up and how he was able to share in some of our major milestones. He was with us for my graduations and our wedding, but sadly, he missed the births of my two incredible children. He would have loved to sit through their endless hockey, soccer and golf games and I am sure he would still be cheering them on. The hardest part is knowing that the cancer that took him - back then with so few options - is now, thanks to research, often treatable with an extremely high survival rate.

So this ride is for him. And all the loved ones we've lost - Taunte, Cherie. It's for those still fighting or who have triumphed - Mom, Maxine, Danny, Catalina, Irma, Debbie, Roger, Mitch. And it's for the people we haven't yet met, who will one day need hope, care, and the promise of a cure. With every mile, we ride in honor, in memory, and with purpose.

This year, we are riding with Team Crank, where we have a very generous donor matching up to $750 thousand! That means our mighty team has the ability to raise over $1.5 million for cancer research. I've made a personal commitment to ride and raise at least $6,000.00, so I hope you can help me and the team achieve this significant goal!

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Every dollar we raise goes directly to Dana-Farber. Your support helps fund the treatments and breakthroughs that save lives.

Since its founding in 1980, PMC riders like me have raised more than $1 billion for lifesaving cancer research, treatment and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the country's top cancer care hospitals. My PMC is making a difference in the lives of patients at Dana-Farber and around the world. The funds I raise support the innovative work of doctors, nurses, and scientists in their search for cures for cancers and related diseases.

100 percent of every dollar I raise goes directly to Dana-Farber, meaning that your donation has a real impact! Please donate to my PMC fundraising and help me reach my fundraising goal.