I ride the Pan-Mass Challenge in honor of those battling cancer, survivors, those we've lost, and their families. This cause is deeply personal to me—I ride for my Aunt Michelle, who lost her courageous battle with cancer in April 2021. Michelle was strong, funny, kind, and full of life, and her loss has left a lasting impact on our family. As long as cancer continues to take incredible people like Michelle from this world, I will keep riding and raising money for the life-saving work at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

I also ride for Owen Noonan, the young son of close family friends who is fighting his own battle with cancer. His strength, along with that of so many others, reinforces my commitment to this cause.

I have seen firsthand the impact that Dana-Farber has on patients and their families. I’ve ridden alongside survivors like my sister-in-law Brittany, whose perseverance through her battle with Ewing Sarcoma inspires me every day. I ride in memory of those we've lost and in honor of those still fighting. I ride for those we’ve lost, like my Aunt Michelle, my good friend Ray Dupras, and so many more who, even through their hardest battles, kept smiles on their faces and laughs coming from everyone around them.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. That’s why we must continue pushing forward—raising funds, raising awareness, and working toward a future where no family has to face this disease.

Any donation, big or small, is greatly appreciated. 100% goes directly to Dana-Farber and The Jimmy Fund to fund life-saving research and patient care.

Thank you for your support.

#OwenALLTheWay
#TEAMKEVINFITZ

(Below are some of my previous years' reasons for riding and they still hold true)

Year 5 (2021): Time to run it back again! The group of people (Team Fitz) that I get to ride, laugh, cry, and party with every year is what keeps me coming back for more. The brutality and consistent badgering of cancer into my group of friends, relatives and gym members constantly reminds me to do what I can to help. If raising a few thousand dollars to support The Dana Farber is all I can do to combat cancer, then that is exactly what I am going to do. Cancer sucks and I hope that every dollar I help raise goes towards both finding a cure as quickly as possible and helping the life-saving and life-altering care at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute. God bless the Dana Farber, God bless every person and their families who have to set foot in there, and may God help allow every one of those people walk out those doors cancer free some day very soon.

Why I Ride: (Last year's edit)

This will be my 3rd straight year riding the PMC with Team Kevin Fitz and I am just as excited as my first year, in spite of the monsoon that we had to ride through on Day 1 and the 4 flat tires I got on day 2 last year.. The ride itself was grueling, but I had the honor and priveledge of riding alongside my wife, her twin older sisters, and their two fiances who all took part in their first ever PMC. The six of us have been a group of best friends for over a decade now. Over those years we've had more laughs, good times and inside jokes than I could explain in this profile entry. However, we also had some tough times as well; my sister-in-law Brittany was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer, in May of 2016 when she was only 29 years old.

Throughout her stays at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and her many rounds of chemo, Brittany never looked for any sympathy from anyone around her or for special treatment in any aspect of her life. She continued full-time dental school classes while still continueing to work her waitressing gig when she could. Her strength through this period in her life is something that I will always look up to about her and it something that makes me so proud to call her my sister. I am happy to say that Brittany's last round of Chemo ended in January of 2017 and she celebrated that by absolutely crushing the PMC last year as Living Proof to the life changing and life saving work that is done at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute! Sure there were times in the ride last year that Brittany equated riding a bicycle up hill through knee-high rain water to a grueling 6 hour treatment of chemo, but just like those treatments Brittany crushed that hill and all hills of the PMC! Riding with my wife Mollie, her sisters Brittany and Hayley, and their fiances Jack and Danny last year will be something that we talk about for the rest of our lives.

A few short months after Brittany was diagnosed, my aunt Michelle was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Over the last two and a half years Michelle has gone through more rounds of chemo and radiation than I care to put into words. Throughout all of that she has not lost one ounce of who she is. Michelle is the most kind, fun-loving, and absolutely hilarious woman that I know and no matter the situation she is always putting smiles on the faces of those around her.

Everyday another patient walks into the Dana Farber for the first time with unimaginable feelings what is to come. My hope is that someday everyone that walks in those doors are able to walk out one day cancer-free, or better yet, and no offense to the DFCI, I hope one day their services are obsolete and cancer in itself can become a thing of the past. I ride this year in honor of Brittany, Michelle, and all of the patients at the Dana Farber who show day in and day out what true strength looks like.

Cancer doesn't discriminate. Cancer knows no age, gender, class, or race, and for that reason we must all fight to find a cure.

#TEAMKEVINFITZ

Although I never had the chance to meet Mr. Fitzgerald, the caliber of team members and the constant growth of Team Kevin Fitz is a true testament to the man he was. I am honored to ride with such an exceptional group of people and am inspired by each and every one of their stories.