#WhyIPMC guest blog by Dana White, 16-year Living Proof rider, Team Heidi's Heroes
For my first 14 PMC rides, I rode for others. So many people battling cancer. Too many people lost. Overall, I raised
over $200K for the Jimmy Fund. It felt great to do my part.
In 2023, my 15th ride was for me. In late June, I received an early breast cancer diagnosis. Thankfully, it was caught very early and the prognosis was excellent. The surgeon’s first opening was August 1st, so I asked if I could schedule my lumpectomy the following week, so that I could ride Wellesley to Ptown. As you can see in the photo, I wore a sign that said:
6/22 Diagnosis
8/5+6 15th PMC
8/9 Surgery
Get your mammograms!
The entire weekend was uplifting as I rode with my husband and one of our best friends. Thanks to the PMC, cancer wasn’t as scary to me. The few people who passed us shouted encouragement. Some dear friends who I see once a year in Bourne gave me huge hugs. I went into surgery and my subsequent 20 days of radiation 100% positive and thankful for living in Boston and for the role I played in my own care.
I also raised a personal record of $23K toward our $72MM total thanks to the generous contributions of friends near and far.
So in August 2024, I will ride my 16th PMC with my husband, our informal Fish team, and my 26-year old daughter. I will ride for a dear friend who was just diagnosed and will now get to work on his treatment. And it will be my first as a cancer survivor. Most days I don’t think of myself as a “survivor,” but I know I will think about it a lot over those 160 miles. I will be honored to be part of 2024’s $1 BILLION effort.
