On Easter Sunday morning, I was sitting at the 7:30 Mass reflecting on the beautiful day it was turning out to be, and how thankful I was for what I had in my life.  As I watched people come forward to Communion in their Easter “Best”, I spotted a young woman wearing a scarf wrapped around her bald head.  Reality check.  I started thinking how difficult the past year must have been for her and how heart-wrenching it must be for her family and friends to witness her daily struggles. 

How many trips to the doctor has she had?  Is it breast cancer?   Did she have surgery?  Chemotherapy?  Radiation?  What is her prognosis?  How are the meds affecting her?  Who is taking care of her children while she is trying to stay alive for their future? 

            These are some of the questions I was pondering as I reflected on what her life must be like instead of reflecting on my own.  I wish I could say that cancer is heading in a downward spiral, but I can’t.  We continue to make progress, but as all too many of us are aware, there is still a long way to go.   We witness it every day, missing a loved one, helping a loved one, learning about someone recently diagnosed, reading about it in current events, or receiving a letter from someone like me asking for your continued support.

            Fran and I will be riding in our third Pan Mass Challenge Bike Ride for cancer.  This year we will cover almost 200 miles, over two days, beginning in Sturbridge and ending in Provincetown.  We will be joined by over 5000 cyclists, many whom are survivors like Fran, to help fight the cause to cure cancer.  While there are many athletic fundraising events, the PMC is arguably the most successful in terms of the money raised and the percentage of funds it contributes directly to charity.  100 percent of all funds raised by PMC riders go directly to Dana Farber and the Jimmy Fund.   The PMC is considered among the leanest of fundraising organizations in the nation today.

So many of you have been very supportive of the PMC and YOU are making a difference.  Without sponsors like you we would not have made the great strides in cancer research today. 

If you would like to sponsor me for this cause, please mail me a check made out to the Pan Mass Challenge or use this link:

http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?eGiftID=SC0232

P.S.  Some of you already know that Fran is very creative.  This year she is designing and producing custom necklaces for adults and children in support of the PMC.  They make great gifts and are very reasonably priced at $15 ($18 with shipping & handling).  She is able to accommodate custom orders, i.e. color, theme, patterns…  Check them out at   http://www.washernecklace.com/  or on Facebook @ Wash-R-Ware.  If you are interested in seeing the necklaces in person, just let me know.

You can learn more about Fran and her journey through life since being diagnosed with breast cancer @ www.kickedbyanangel.com as well as visiting her PMC profile @ www.pmc.org.