Why I PMC - Alexandra Pease

#WhyIPMC guest blog by Alexandra Pease, 1st-year rider

As a child, I grew up going for long bike rides with my Dad. We would ride to ice cream shops, parks, and all around our small town of Topsfield, MA. Through my teenage years I began to opt out of those bike rides, but my dad continued to ride on his own. He loved to venture through the North Shore on his bike, finding beach alcoves and hidden gems along the way. In January 2015, this all changed: at the age of 54, my dad was diagnosed with an incurable, cancerous brain tumor called Glioblastoma Grade IV, and we lost him in September 2016.

Though his diagnosis was incurable, there were very few times where I saw my dad without a smile on his face. His strength and perseverance through treatment were remarkable, and his attitude is something that I’m in awe of to this day. He met every challenge with grace and taught us from an early age that we could conquer anything we put our minds to.

This August, with his perseverance in mind, I will be riding all 192 miles on my dad's bike to raise life-saving research funds in his honor. Using his bike to ride my first PMC feels like the perfect way to commemorate his spirit and strength, and I can't wait to carry him in my heart throughout the journey. The best part: the PMC donates 100% of every rider-raised dollar directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I’m looking forward to making a lasting impact this year and hopefully creating a world where no family has to go through what mine did. Thank you for your support; I’ll see you in P-Town!