As ever, there is so much to inspire us in this work. Too much, really. Team MFS has lost two amazing colleagues in recent years, Mike Pandolfi and Gary Lasman. Mike was an avid PMC rider and supporter. Gary was an equally amazing human being. I could never come close to properly recognizing their legacies in this medium, but suffice it to say, they provide far more inspiration than necessary to put some miles on a bike in the company of thousands of wonderful people.
Just in the last year, we’ve had another colleague make an amazing recovery and in the last couple months, two more colleagues began treatment. It’s too much. This is just the MFS investment team, not to mention our many family and friends, including a number of you yourselves, who have been touched by this disease. Cancer keeps coming. On the other hand, Dana Farber, the PMC and Team MFS also keep coming.
Once again, I will be riding the 163-mile Wellesley to P-Town route with Team MFS riders. This will be a milestone PMC on many levels. The two most notable are that the PMC will surpass $1 billion in cumulative funds raised and MFS will field at least 100 riders as we celebrate our 100th anniversary as a firm. Both milestones will be celebrated in various ways with lots of commemorative gear (riders love gear!).
Every year, 100% of all funds raised from donors like you go directly to the Jimmy Fund (sponsorships from MFS and others pay for the overhead of the event and the operation). The PMC provides over 50% of the Jimmy Fund's annual budget and is Dana Farber's single largest contributor. The goal for this year's PMC is $75 million. That will be a new all-time record and it will blow through the amazing billion-dollar cumulative mark. Since becoming an official sponsor in 1999, MFS has raised over $18.9 mil, including $1.4 mil in 2023. As we did last year, a number of us on Team MFS, including me, will be directing our funds to Dana Farber's Kidney Cancer team in support of Frank, the brother of our teammate and leader Maura. Other riders will be riding to support a fund Mike established before he passed. All of us will be riding for the common cause of fighting this miserable disease.
I appreciate that there are many worthy and noble causes that need your help today. I understand that supporting this cause might not make sense for you this year. If I can help you in any way, please let me know. If you are able to make a donation to my PMC ride, please click Donate to My Ride. Every little bit you can spare counts and no donation is too small. Thank you to those of you who have already donated to this year’s ride unsolicited! Thank you to those who can give now. This group’s generosity has been wildly inspirational. Thank you all so much!
