Riding My 15th Pan-Mass Challenge

On August 4 and 5, I will ride in my 15th Pan-Mass Challenge. I know what you’re thinking: “Jared, you look so young and strong and handsome, how on earth have you done this 15 times?” I can hardly believe it myself! But at the same time, the PMC has become such an integral part of my summers, I can hardly remember life before it. I remain motivated to ride and fundraise for many reasons, but the most important are the people I ride in in honor of and in memory of.

Last year, I told you about Maya, my office-mate Gina’s daughter. Last winter, Maya was diagnosed with Clear Cell Sarcoma, a very rare renal cancer. Maya completed her treatments this past fall, right as she began Kindergarten. She is now a happy, healthy, and cancer-free six-year-old! I am confident that her positive attitude and the lifesaving care she received at Dana-Farber was the winning combination for her to beat her cancer. I took this photo during Day 1 of the 2017 PMC ride. It was such an inspiration to see her cheering on her unicorn-horned team!

On a sad note, late last year my team, Team Kinetic Karma, lost another teammate to cancer. Patrick joined our team in 2014 and rode in his first PMC to give back after battling leukemia. The photo below shows him crossing the finish line in Provincetown during that year’s ride. Later in 2014, he found out that his cancer was back. He knew the deal – more chemo and hope for another bone marrow transplant. He was feeling well enough to volunteer during the 2016 ride, which was the last time I saw him. Late last year, after four relapses, Patrick passed away, three months after the birth of his daughter.

I truly believe that the funds that donors contribute to Pan-Mass Challenge riders is making a difference in the fight against cancer. While still a terrible family of diseases that continues to take the lives of those that we love, I think that there are more and more success stories about cancer than there were 5, 10, or 20 years ago. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the premier cancer research hospitals in the world, is helping to lead that charge.

Please join me in my continued quest for a cancer-free world. My 2018 goal is to raise $10,000, in Maya’s honor and in Patrick’s memory, to support the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s innovative cancer research and compassionate care that is saving lives like Maya’s and countless other children and adults. 100 percent of your donation goes straight to this important cause – the fight against cancer. Please make your donation today.