To My Friends: February 14, 2009

This will be my fifth year riding, participating in and fundraising for the PMC. It is a great event touching so many individuals, their lives, and their loved ones. The ongoing fundraising that the PMC brings to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber continues to fuel the excellent and ground breaking cancer research we all are coming to rely upon.

 As I mentioned during my first year, in my note below, it seems that in time cancer begins to affect us all. This year that point is even truer. Through an article in our local paper about the PMC's local fundraising success, Sara Mason, mother of 4 year old Welles, wrote a letter to the editor thanking all of the generous riders and donors who help the Jimmy Fund.  She was thanking us riders and donors because little Welles was being treated at the Jimmy Fund for a recently diagnosed Lymphoblastic Lymphoma - a form of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. And it is through that letter that I connected with Sara and Welles and from that connection we have formed Team Wishing Welles.  The cancer was found at Welles' annual physical on October 9^th and since then the family (James, Sara, sister Caroline and Welles) have been through an arduous ordeal with many trips to and from Dana Farber, and Children's Hospital.  The cancer was found in his lymph nodes under his arms and neck and in his kidneys.  Welles has undergone many rounds of chemotherapy weekly, blood work, spinal taps, 15-20 pills per day, and he had a "port-a-cath" put in his upper chest for all the IV work he undergoes.  The spinal taps are done to continually ensure that there are no cancer cells in his spinal fluid and the chemotherapy is also inserted into the fluid to ensure that his central nervous system is protected.  All this for a 4 year old and for Welles the pills might be the worst thing as he has never had to swallow pills before - this has been one of the bigger ordeals for him.  These steroid pills that Welles takes put the cancer into remission within 4-6 weeks and so the treatments are working as hoped for.  And because of his young age, his overall good health he has been given an 85% cure rate after the two years of treatment.  It is our goal to support Welles and let him know that he has lots of friends and family rooting and cheering for him to be cured.  It is our interest to ride in honor of Welles, this brave boy, and fund raise on his behalf to help beat this disease.    

Since I have become involved in this great fundraising event it has become clearer and clearer to me that cancer is a disease that plays no favorites and in time seems to impact us all. Please support this great cause; please support the research and facility that helps Welles get better so that he can grow up to be a fine young man. Please join us, join Team Wishing Welles, and support the Pan Mass Challenge because this disease in the end affects us all.

Thank you for your generosity

My Best, Jim

To date, the PMC has raised more than $239 million that has been used to improve the lives of those suffering with cancer. It is the largest single contributor to the Jimmy Fund, bringing in nearly 50 percent of its annual revenue.   

from the Summer 2005

I am sure that I am not alone in the observation that as I spend more time on this planet more and more people who are close to me are affected by cancer. And as much as I want that observation and fact to be different I don't believe this will change any time soon, that is without great effort. I am personally in a study at the Dana-Farber with a very benign form of lymphoma; I am lucky. I am lucky to have had my condition detected so early on, and I am lucky to have such a great resource in my Doctor (a specialist in this relatively rare form of cancer) and the great resources at the Dana Farber. I am lucky as I have lots of love and support in my life to help me look at my condition with strength and optimism. I have a loving wife, many friends, and a strong successful son. And even with my condition I have the ability to be very active, busy, and healthy. So I am very lucky. I am a survivor with no pain and suffering. It is my vision to afford others this same kind of luxury: no pain, no suffering. Through advancements in science and medicine, early detection, and advocacy we all stand to benefit directly and through the benefits derived by loved ones. I believe the Pan Mass Challenge and Jimmy Fund bring us all an opportunity to invest in better futures for us all.

I am looking for your support of me on the upcoming two-day bicycle ride, Pan-Mass Challenge for charitable contributions for the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Institute. This event earmarks all of the proceeds of the fund raising to cancer research (99 cents of every dollar earned is donated): to date the Pan Mass Challenge has raised $145 Million for cancer research. These funds are used to finance research in its earliest stages; also known as seed money which enables clinicians and scientists to pursue innovative research that has the potential to achieve the results that will warrant National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other private and government grants. These funds have sparked some of the most important advances made in cancer research over the last two decades.

Riding in the PMC is a way for me to channel my physical, mental and emotional energy into something much greater than the athletic accomplishment that is gained by riding the 200 miles. It is my vision that this kind of grass roots effort will bring us early detection tools, cures, and eradication of many cancers that will no longer threaten our abilities to live long, healthy, happy and prosperous lives. I hope you can join me in this vision and support this great cause.

Jim's PMC Total

$3,250

Goal

$5,000

My Progress

My Online Supporters

My Rides