Since 2016, I have had the privilege of participating in the Pan-Mass Challenge, raising money to support Dana-Farber Cancer Insitute and The Jimmy Fund. During that time, I have not just become connected to an amazing community of riders, friends and teammates, all working towards a common goal – to find a cure for cancer. In that time with the help of friends, neighbors and family I have raised over $44,000.

The last three years have been a little bit different, and this one is no exception. Instead of riding during the traditional PMC weekend, I am joining a new event – PMC Unpaved. Riding with Steve (in his first PMC!), we will be traveling the traveling to the backroads of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts and eastern New York, traveling 50.7 miles and 4,845 feet of climbing.

As a member of Team Perry, 100% of donations made to my ride go to The Perry S. Levy Fund for Gastrointestinal Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which focuses on research on cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. According to the American Cancer Society in the United States, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and in women, and the second most common cause of cancer deaths when numbers for men and women are combined. It's expected to cause about 52,580 deaths during 2022.

And while that's less than 10% of the total 600,000+ cancer deaths that are projected, as my neighbor Jeff Troutman recently wrote "every single number of every single kind of cancer represents a life and families and friends and dreams. Of the 609,000 cancer deaths this year, we may lose the person who could have found a cure for this fucking disease. Or who might have united us all in harmony. We will certainly lose someone who loved someone, and was loved back. Someone who would cook dinner, or laugh at stupid jokes, or just show up."

So I ride not just those we have lost – Twiggy, Pammie, Kathy K, Papa Tom, Elka and Faith, Lois, Jake, Perry – but also for those left behind with memories of favorite meals, inside jokes and moments gone but not forgotten.