Dear friends and family,
This year, I have registered for the second time to ride in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC), the largest fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with my dad. We are doing the bike ride from Wellesley to Bourne, a little shy of 100 miles. As many of you know, I was intending on riding last year, but suffered a bike accident shortly before the ride and was unable to participate. This is is take 2.
Our training for, and riding in, the PMC, and raising money for the Jimmy Fund, is our small way to support those who heroically struggle with cancer, and those who care for and treat them. Why do we do it? It’s partly personal. My grandmother, Bella Tovey, lived a long, full life, after surviving a battle with breast cancer. And my grandfather, Henry, succumbed to duodenal cancer, after a five-plus year fight. We keep them in our hearts and ride, as well, for all those who fight cancer.
The PMC, now in its 45th year, has raised over $970 million for Dana-Farber. Our small team, Toby’s Team (named in memory of a dear friend’s mother), in 30+ years has raised over $1,400,000 since it began. Unlike many other charities, 100% of your donation will go to research and to treat cancer. Not a penny goes to administrative costs. This year the PMC seeks to break the $1 billion mark in total fundraising since it began!
Many billions of dollars have been raised to help fight cancer. And those billions have actually helped! There have been great advances in prevention, detection, research, treatment, care, and survival. Dana-Farber is on the cutting edge of these efforts. But great progress, for instance, in genetic research and therapy, drug development, clinical trials, improved patient outcomes, family support, is extremely costly. Your support is vital to these efforts.
We thank you deeply for your support, and ask you to be as generous as you can. Of course, we love and appreciate you, no matter the size of your gift. But we know how very many of us are affected by cancer - fighting it, supporting those who fight it, and mourning those lost to it. To make a gift to the Jimmy Fund, and to support Toby’s Team, please donate securely on my PMC profile page: https://profile.pmc.org/SM0764
David’s PMC profile page: http://www.pmc.org/profile/DM0040
Or you can mail us a check made out to “PMC-Jimmy Fund.”
PS - A small incentive: All donations of $150 or more will recieve some PMC swag! And donations of $250 or more will get extra swag! Check out the pictures in my gallery to see what kinds of things you could get!
With many thanks,
Sonia
