#WhyIPMC guest blog by Steve DeRosa, 2-year rider, Team Kerri's Krew (Captain)
My name is Steve DeRosa. This year will be my second Pan-Mass ride, and I’m riding again to honor my wife Kerri
DeRosa who passed from Ovarian Cancer in May ‘22. My team is named “Kerri’s Krew”, cycling the Wellesley Loop. Some colleagues of mine knew I wanted to ride the Pan-Mass and approached me to ride last year which was a real honor. We’ve expanded our team this year, and most have been impacted by cancer in different ways and are working hard to bring added awareness and donations for research and ultimately cures. We are excited to be part of the Pan-Mass community and to help the foundation surpass the $1B mark this year. It’s such an inspirational cause.
My family has been really touched by Cancer, and my son Patrick is a Lymphoma survivor and was treated alongside Kerri in 2020. He’s strong and doing well.
Kerri and I were together since our senior year in high school, married for 27 years and have two sons. Her seven-year journey included 115 rounds of chemotherapy, numerous surgeries and needed to be on TPN for the last year of her life as she was no longer able to eat. She had wonderful care from her doctors and nurses who are truly kind and remarkable people demonstrating so much empathy. Through it all Kerri lived life to her fullest with family and friends, laughed and cared for others. She was an inspiration, never gave up hope, and is missed by so many. I’d had the honor of being her care giver, and have learned so much from Kerri and her ordeal. My job is, and will be to continue raising awareness about Ovarian Cancer.
“If we can collectively save one life.”
