My son Spencer was five months old when he was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that typically affects infants and children. Each year there are around 800 cases diagnosed in the United States.

We initially brought Spencer to the emergency room with what we thought was a minor eye problem. After several days of tests and imaging we were shocked to learn that he had a large malignant tumor filling his chest cavity that was compressing his heart and lungs and starting to grow into his spine. We are incredibly fortunate that we were in the excellent care of the pediatric oncology, neurology, and surgery teams at Mass General Hospital who moved swiftly to remove the tumor and affected lymph nodes and chart a course for future treatment and regular imaging to monitor for recurrence.

Spencer is now eight years old and is happy and healthy under the watchful eye of his oncologist. We are thankful every day that we are able to spend with our precocious little guy and for the many researchers and physicians who continue to develop new treatments and protocols to identify and treat cancer in infants and children. I have them to thank for every single day that I spend with my special little boy.

I ride the PMC with Team Bergmeyer in honor of my little warrior Spencer, my Aunt and Uncle currently fighting cancer, in recognition of my own experience with skin cancer, and in precious memory of baby Noah who lost his fight with Acute Lymphoblastic Lukemia in 2019 at 5 months old.