#WhyIPMC guest blog by CYNTHIA PETELLE, 1st-year rider
Why I PMC
PMC Shirts from years past inspire on bikers zooming by, on your left! Dana-Farber and The Jimmy Fund, places that
touch your heart and mind. Stirring up family strength, struggles and sorrow. My Cousin, Pam (Spillane) Podgurski lost after an amazingly brilliant fight and too young a battle with Pancreatic Cancer. Mom to two beautiful bright eyed girls and a wife to a loving husband. Pam was a ray of sunshine. My Uncle Joe would also sing Dana’s praises for his treatments, rest in peace Uncle Joe. Yes, I went to Dana too, barely feel I can mention it as I didn’t have chemo or treatments other than monitoring and eventual surgery for something suspected that didn’t quite meet clinical criteria. My initial referral there was for something suspected growing in a way that wasn’t usually seen- if you know me, that makes sense! Cancer is a stinker like that, it grows as it pleases. It may look localized in one person and metastasized in another. The badge you wear when you walk in gets looks from family members as if they are wondering your story. Scans in hand, you hide your nerves in your gait and clinch of that manilla envelope past the kindest of staff and triage medical assistants. Wondering what news today will impact tomorrow.
After I decided to get brave and ride my first PMC this year, I posted on my social media fundraiser that I could ride for family or friends. A former wonderful neighbor reached out - I thought it would be to represent her own breast cancer survival journey. It was about her Brother, Paul. Paul Burgess, a Worcester Public School Teacher and an Accountant who had terminal Pancreatic Cancer. Her oldest Brother, describing him as just that person that looks out for others. She and her Brother wanted to fund my ride, I offered to wear Paul’s name on my shirt along with my bright and always smiling Cousin Pam. When I wrote to Paul to thank him for funding my ride and ask if there is something special I could put next to his name, he didn’t want any fanfare. Like a true older brother that Mary described, he simply responded to my questions with a hope that his donation helped others. He passed away July 8, 2024. One of his last acts of helping others was funding my ride. Thank you, Paul. Mary, thank you too as his Sister who cared so greatly and also sponsors me. Her infamous “Get Pedaling!,” is my inspiration. Mary, your bravery is also recognized in surviving Breast Cancer. Your humor and kindness, ever giving.
To my friend, Jane who also is a Breast Cancer survivor. To the other family I have lost to Cancer, yes, the list is long, too long. Aunt Mary, Breast Cancer, Grandmother, Pancreatic and more. My Aunt Marge who sent me a copy of “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale in college, later passed from Ovarian Cancer. Yes, my family is full of strong women.
The last story I want to share is that of holding the door once for parents with their little boy, in one of those little red wagons with his iPad coming in for treatments after I was exiting an appointment. I have Boys too, I thought. This boy was too weak to be bounding in like mine would have been at his age. It felt as if my heart leaped out of my body that day for those parents. I ride for all of the stories I hold in my heart and my mind of the “Big C” as we called it growing up in an American of Irish decent household. I am a helper, a Therapist of 20plus years, we get frustrated when we can’t help and we loose people. Every push of my pedal is my fight to help. To all the heroes who work at Dana and with the Jimmy Fund, we see you and thank you. Please fund amazing care and research happening at Dana-Farber & through The Jimmy Fund.
This Hope Seeker,
Cindy Petelle
