I rode my first PMC - a one day ride 86 miles from Wellesley to Bourne - in August 2008 to honor the memory of both my father and my dear friend Sig Adler, each of whom lost his life to cancer. My father gave me my first bike when I was young boy. A native of Holland my dad Theodore Bogaert rode bikes his entire life, he even took long rides with my mom after he had turned 70. Sadly he died of cancer 26 years ago at age 77, too soon to ever know my son or my youngest daughter. I remember vividly meeting Sig Adler for the first time, at the start of my junior year at Clark. He had just come back from riding the hill leading up to the Worcester airport. We became roommates and life long friends. Sig continued to ride until his untimely death in 2007 at age 55 from cancer. It is only fitting that I honor both Dad and Sig by riding my bike to raise money for cancer treatment and research. Thanks to the generosity of so many friends, family and colleagues I have raised well over $40, 000 since 2008. Last year, the Pan Mass Challenge riders raised more than $36 million last year for cancer treatment and research.
Unfortuntately that is not enough. Despite all of the successes, each year, nearly 1.4 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the United States, a figure that does not include the 900,000 cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually. Since cancer is the second leading cause of death (after heart disease) in the United States, accounting for 560,000 deaths every year, it is likely that you or those you love have experienced cancer. Since I started riding in 2008 more live of loved ones and friends have been impacted by cancer, some like my sister Thea have come through treatment and are in remission, for others like my friend Denise Taylor the fight was lost. We need to do whatever we can to fund research so no further lives are lost and to fund treatment for those suffering from the disease.
I will be riding again this year with a wonderful team, the FLAMES (Which is an anagram for Fast Legs And Minds End Suffering). The team was founded by a Dana-Farber oncology nurse, a chemotherapy nurse and patient. The 120 riders on team include 14 Dana-Farber nurses and doctors and 21 “living proof” cancer survivors as well as cyclists, like me, who are interested in supporting research and treatment through this ride. Every year on the last day of the ride, the FLAMES meet a mile from the Provincetown finish and ride together as a team for the final mile. It is inspiring to ride with such a great group of people for such a good cause.
I will be riding for the future well being of my family and yours. Hopefully, the money raised will move us closer to a cure. Money raised in previous years has provided needed funds for advanced research and improved treatment.
Your tax-deductible check can be made payable to PMC/Jimmy Fund. You can mail them to me at work or to my home address. (both addresses are listed below) If you wish to donate electronically, all you need to do is go to www.pmc.org. and at the very top of the webpage it says Please donate to a rider today. Any donation, no matter the amount, will be appreciated.
Thanks to all for your support both moral and financial I sincerely appreciate it. Stay well
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