Jon Binsted's Ride

Eliminating Childhood Cancer

This August 6th, not only am I celebrating my 41st birthday, I will be riding in my second Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a 2-day, 200 mile bike-a-thon across the state of Massachusetts, in support of the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute. Being a cancer survivor myself, this ride and fundraising effort is to honor the lives of the people and children who have or have had cancer. Last year, I rode in honor of my buddy, Jacob Villareal, my 10 year old friend who was battling Pilocytic Astrocytoma, a type of juvenile brain cancer. He was diagnosed when he was 6 ½ years old with a tumor the size of a hen’s egg on his brain which blocked spinal fluid to the brain stem. So after one 10 hour surgery and over 3 months of rehabilitative therapy, Jacob was learning how to walk, talk, eat and sit up alone again. He was cancer free for 1 year until the tumor started growing back. After a few more surgeries and a 58 week chemotherapy plan, Jacob is now living like a normal 10 year old boy playing video games, playing with friends, with a cell phone and living CANCER FREE with no residual evidence of tumor re-growth!  Earlier this year x-rays also showed that the tumor was gone!

I had such an overwhelming response to my PMC ride last year, that I was able to ride in honor and memory of several people. This year, I want to make the ride about those we honor or miss every day.  If you would like to dedicate your donation to someone dear, please include his or her name in a note or email to me (include a picture if possible). In their honor or memory, I will carry the notes and pictures, along with their fighting spirit, on my ride.  One of my favorite things at last year’s PMC was having my picture taken at the finish line holding pictures of those that “came along for the ride”.  It was an absolute honor to give those pictures to the families and friends that supported me.

There are many parts to this Challenge. The patients and their families have the challenge of facing and battling the disease every day. The staff at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute has their daily research and also works with the patients. My part is to train, ride and do the fundraising. Your challenge is to make a generous contribution. Doing so helps to hold open the possibility Jacob and many the others will be cancer free for many years to come.  I was blessed with a beautiful baby girl 2 months ago.  My dream is for her to grow up in a world where we speak about cancer in a past tense

 

The PMC’s goal is to raise $31 million this year. My unalterable commitment is to raise $4,200 and my stretch goal is $10,000. In case you missed it above, EVERY penny of rider raised funds went directly to the Jimmy Fund last year. Thank you in advance for your generous contribution, your support and for the difference you make.

On behalf of all the children and families, I thank you



Jon's PMC Total

$0

Goal

$4,200

My Progress

My Online Supporters

I have chosen to keep all of my donors' information confidential; therefore it is not displayed on my PMC public donor list.

My Rides

2011 $1,450 Sturbridge to Provincetown Inn (2-Day)
2010 $4,220 Sturbridge to Provincetown Inn (2-Day)
Jon's Personal Gallery