Mike's PMC Ride

I talked to my brother today. His training rides are getting a little longer every week, and he's going to be ready for the Pan-Mass Challenge in August.

The PMC is a very long bike ride that raises money for cancer research at Dana-Farber in Boston. In 30 years, the riders have raised over $270 million. A lot of that money goes to research on NHL, and all the money raised goes straight to cancer research.

Won't you consider sponsoring Mike? It's avery worthy cause, and very easy to give.

Read the letter Mike sent out earlier this week, and consider making a donation:


The warm weather is finally here, and training season is in full swing.

On August 6th and 7th I will participate for the fourth year in the 32nd Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) by raising $5,000 and cycling 163 miles on the Wellesley to Provincetown route. Donations to my PMC ride will help cancer patients by supporting life-saving cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston, Massachusetts.

The PMC is an annual bike-a-thon that raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. In 2010, the PMC raised $30 million. The organization was founded in 1980 and it has raised over $300 million for cancer research and treatment at the DFCI through its Jimmy Fund. The PMC is a model of fundraising efficiency. Since 2007, the PMC donated 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause. The PMC generates half of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and it is Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor. DFCI has been ranked as the best cancer hospital in New England and fifth best in the nation by U.S. News and World Reports.

I was moved to ride my first PMC after seeing too many friends and relatives stricken by cancer in its many forms. For most, the diagnosis comes without warning. We go along in our lives quite comfortably, and suddenly our lives have changed in a moment.

Funds raised by the PMC support the efforts of more than 3,000 faculty and staff members as they make advancements in cancer care and research. The PMC’s annual donations to the DFCI have resulted in:


• Increased survival rates of pediatric cancers.


• Decreased incidence rates for colorectal cancers and lung & bronchus cancers.


• Providing financial assistance to patients and their families in need.


• Funding investigator-led clinical trials.

Riding the PMC for three years now has been an amazing experience. Every year, I feel the support of the staff, the volunteers, all the other riders and my sponsors. I ride because I can. And because riding the PMC is a positive effort that combines with the positive efforts of thousands of other riders and creates something much bigger than all of us. In the face of a disease that leaves me feeling so helpless, riding the PMC gives me hope.

Please make a difference and support my PMC ride. Your donation is 100% deductible.

HOW TO DONATE:


Credit Card: go to http://www.pmc.org/egifts/MM0386

Matching Gifts: The Human Resource Department at your company can provide information on your company’s matching gift policy.

Many thanks in advance for joining me in this challenge. I do believe that together we can make a difference. I will be in touch after PMC weekend to share my PMC weekend experience.

Mike