06/26/2026
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The first weekend in August, I am riding in one of the nations largest fundraisers for cancer research.Pan-Mass Challenge is a road bike event that covers 180 miles over two days. Every dollar raised for the PMC goes directly to the Dana Farber Institute at Harvard for research for cancer. Every dollar.
I am generally a very private person, but I am going to share my experience with cancer. Three years ago I was diagnosed with stage 3B triple negative breast cancer. It was a shocking diagnosis because I was always a healthy person and also had no family history or genetic predisposition for cancer. Triple negative is an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer, and initially it was a devastating diagnosis for us. In the beginning, you just ask yourself why is this happening to me, then you get busy doing everything you can to get well. My treatment involved undergoing 24 weeks of chemotherapy, a year of immunotherapy, some pretty big surgeries and a full month of radiation. I also utilize some complementary treatments with supplements and acupuncture. It was a marathon, not a sprint to get through everything. I had some major setbacks along the way, including an anaphylactic reaction to one of my chemo drugs and two unfortunate rounds of neutropenic sepsis that landed me in ICU for 10 days.
I was fortunate to have very supportive family and friends, and my care team was top notch. Even though I currently have no evidence of disease, I am constantly researching for new trials for further treatment to do everything I can to maintain a cancer free life. Clinical trials and research move oncology into the future. Clinical trials and research require money!
This is the first year I will be riding the PMC. It is the longest ride I have ever attempted. I’m a bit nervous honestly. However, I had the strength to get through several set packs during my cancer treatment and I got through that. I just had to remind myself why we ride!
I think there will be a day when we can entirely prevent cancer in people. If not entirely prevent, I believe there will be a day when we can cure every cancer for every person. I don’t want to see anyone have to go through what I did. Research is the key and research needs money.
If you would like to show support, please make a donation to the PMC. The website is www.pmc.org. There is a donate button, and you can search for me as a rider if you would want to put that donation under me.
The picture of the person riding the bike is my son Peter. Somehow I can never get ahead of him, and this is the view I have when we ride together all the time.
