I

p a n - m a s s a c h u s e t t s  c h a l l e n g e

It is that time again, time for me to give you my PMC Pitch. But before I do, the last month has not been good for my family. In the last three weeks, I lost both my Mother-in-law and my Cousin to Cancer. My Mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 Adenoma Carcinoma and tragically died within a month of the diagnosis. My cousin died from complications of the treatment of Non-Hopkins Lymphoma after a two year struggle. I will be adding both of their names to my list.

This year I will again be riding the PMC (this make number 9), but this year I will be doing the long version. I will actually be riding cross country starting on June 2, in San Francisco, CA where I will dip my back tire in the Pacific and ride to Portsmouth, NH, arriving on July 24. I will hold off on the traditional dipping of my front tire in the Atlantic and head to Sturbridge to ride the PMC. The total miles will be around 4000. The x-country part will take me 52 days. Ok, the entire ride is not part of the PMC, But it is all to raise money for the PMC. I will be doing the X-county portion with America by Bike (http://www.americabybicycle.com/CCC/).

I had the privilege this year of attending a special PMC Dinner. At the dinner my Doctor was one of the speakers. He had a story about the spot where the Dana-Farber now stands. It was the site of The Bader and Carnegie Buildings of the Children's Hospital Boston. This Building was mainly used in the treatment of Polio. The building was torn down to make room for Dana-Farber since polio was eradicated. With recent discoveries and developments in care of for cancer, a cure for cancer is predicted in the next 40 years. The key to the research is the Human Genome project and the ability to isolate the genes that cause cancer. Cancer is really over a 1000 different diseases. There are currently three drugs now in use that target particular caners, and more in development. The first of these drugs, Rotuxin, was developed my Doctor.

In the past I have carried a list of name of names of the love ones that how have had to deal with cancer, this list of names I carry when I do the PMC keeps getting longer, I will take this list with me x-country. This years’ PMC will have over 200 riders that have survived cancer. Here is the 2006 Living Proof picture.

So it is time for me to hit you all up for a donation for the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC). It seems that no one has time these days, and most of you know about the PMC (if not let me know and I will fill you in), so I'm going to keep it short. This year the PMC is the weekend of the August 4 & 5th. Once again, I will be riding with 5,000 other riders the 192 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown with an overnight in Bourne. The goal this year is to raise $27 million. Last year I was able to talk my wife, Lynne, into volunteering to work one of the rest stops. I did not tell her that her shift would start at 4AM till after she said yes. She will be doing it again.

So, I'm asking for your sponsorship for this years' PMC. If you sponsored me last year, thank you.  I hope that you will be able to contribute again this year. If this is your first time, thank you in advance for joining the fight! Your contribution is tax-deductible. You can make donations online via the PMC website, as well as by check or credit card. So, the next thing for you to do is to let me know how much you will be contributing and how you will be giving it. I do not need the money until August, but if I reach the heavy hitter level by July 15^th it will get me a matching pair of shorts. I will again be carrying a sheet with name of your loved ones that have had cancer (won, lost, or are fighting) during the ride. If you have someone that you would like included on the sheet, please include his or her name with your pledge.

For more info on the PMC, please go to their web page http://www.pmc.org.

Thank you.
Howie

Making a Donation

Many companies will match your donation so do not miss the opportunity to double or triple you contribution.

If paying by check make check payable to "PMC -The Jimmy Fund."

My Mailing address is:
Howard Davidson
PO Box. 781
Hudson, MA 01749

If you want to pledge on-line just go to (this is the easiest way)
https://www.pmc.org/egifts/giftinfo.asp?eGiftID=HD0013

If you are going to use Charge card to donate, please fill out the form below.

Pan-Mass Challenge

Yes, I/we want to help in the fight against cancer! Here is my/our donation of: ¨ $150 ¨ $100 ¨ $75 ¨ $50 ¨Other $ ______ Name:__________________________________ Address:________________________________ ___________________________________ Gifts are tax deductible! Your donation is greatly appreciated. Howard Davidson, PMC Id # HD0013

¨ My check is enclosed. (Please make checks payable to "PMC-Jimmy Fund".) ¨ Please charge my donation to: ¨ VISA ¨ MC ¨ AMEX Acct. No_________________________ Exp. Date________________________ Signature___________________________ ¨ My employer will match my gift. (Please enclose your employer’s matching gift form.) Employer___________________________