A very wonderful person, who happens to be one of my uncles, is doing a great thing for a special cause.  I hope that you can help in many ways…

Dear friends,

Cancer does not rest. It doesn’t do a warm down at the end of a bicycle ride. Cancer doesn’t sleep at the end of the day. It doesn’t flee the cold for warm weather during school vacation. Cancer is relentless, showing no favorites and taking no prisoners. Wealthy or poor, educated or illiterate, young or old, it doesn’t discriminate. Cancer has no friends, no allies, no comrades. It doesn’t need any. It does its damage on its own. It is its own army. It is insidious, creeping into the lives of everyone, leaving a path of destruction and tragedy in its wake.
 
But out of tragedy can come inspiration. It can harvest acts, and deeds, and abilities beyond ones expectations. Last year the PMC raised $35 million with every last penny going to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Jimmy Fund.  To learn more about the PMC please go to www.pmc.org. 
 
 On August 1  I will ride with 22 other folks who make up Team Emma Enchantment. The team is named for a seven  year old girl who will be marking the 6th anniversary of her diagnosis of a brain tumor on June 30th of this year.  Emma has endured surgery, chemo, and multiple therapies and has inspired many with her zest for life and spirited personality.  Emma is in first grade and is currently off chemo waiting for resumption of treatment. 100% of the funds raised by the members of Team Emma’s Enchantment will be directed to the research of Dr. Mark Kieran. Dr. Kieran is a physician at DFCI who is currently working to unlock the mystery of low grade gliomas (the type of brain tumor Emma has).  The ultimate goal of the study is to determine an agent that will destroy the slow growing cancer cells in these tumors rather than arrest them temporarily, which is the current course of treatment. If successful this would limit the number of rounds of chemo children faced with this rare type of tumor would be subjected to.  It could mean an end to the very long run of chemo for Emma and allow her to have the life every six year old deserves.
By riding I am taking an active stand against cancer in an effort to improve one little girl’s life and hopefully impact the lives of many others in the process. I am writing you to ask for your support of my ride.   The PMC is our avenue, our conduit, our means of empowering the army of doctors, nurses, clinicians, scientists, and support staff that are in our hospitals, laboratories, corridors, kitchens, and garages. These are the people on the front lines working tirelessly to make the dream of “no more cancer” a reality.
 
 Please join us by making the PMC your avenue to making a difference in the fight against cancer. Yes, these economic times are difficult for us all but remember, cancer takes no rest, no vacation, needs no help, and is not slowed by the economy. You may send me a check made out to the Jimmy Fund/PMC or you can contribute online at:
http://www.pmc.org/egifts/JG0233
 
Please contribute generously and help us in our continuing efforts to help wipe cancer off the face of the earth. When you think of us on our bikes on August 1 your spirit will be with us.
 
I’d like to ask one more favor. It would be so wonderful if you would solicit a donation from one other friend or family member. Just think of how much more money we could raise in our effort to rid our lives of this horrible disease.
 
With love and appreciation 
Joe