Participating in the August 2nd Pan Mass Challenge
-- written by John Wait

Nearly every Sunday morning we share celebrations--which is really fun. We also share concerns and sorrows--and we pray for people needing uplifting. So often one of us in church asks for prayers for a loved one who is battling cancer. All of us always pray for healing. But at such times I always wished I could do more. Wished I had a magic wand that I could wave to make everyone's cancer go away. Unfortunately I never found that wand. A good friend at work who lives in Reading rode in the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) for many years. He told me about their mission--and how they raised awareness and funds. To both treat cancer patients and to fund cancer research. I was surprised to learn that the PMC was the single biggest financial contributor to the Jimmy Fund. So I signed up and rode in the Pan Mass Challenge in 2005. It was.....amazing.

I will again ride in the Pan Mass Challenge, pedaling 114 miles this August 2nd from Sturbridge, MA to the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne, MA. Riding in 2005 was probably the greatest day of feeling; doing something to help end cancer, and to help others. There were lots of many special memories. I'll always remember riding through the town of Wrentham. For some reason they have had an especially high rate of several cancers. All through downtown there were huge crowds of people thanking us and cheering us on. People had gotten lots of really large and loud cowbells and rang them. I remember high-fiving several cancer survivors and those still battling--kids with no hair, the age of our son, Andrew. Amazingly they were able to smile and think positive thoughts. How could they do that?

Etched deep in my soul is the memory of seeing a young child --holding a large picture of herself--apparently taken while in the midst of cancer treatment a few years earlier. The top of the poster stated simply "Thank you. I am alive because of you." I don't remember much of anything after that for the next 15 miles except (1) how hard it is to ride a bike while weeping, (2) how all the other riders were also silently crying, and (3) how incredibly lucky I was to be alive and not have anyone in my family with cancer.

Why am I writing now? To ask for your sponsorship. If you can afford a financial sponsorship, that would be deeply appreciated. Details are listed below. These are also tough economic times, so I certainly understand if you cannot pledge financially. I'd also be grateful for your thoughts and prayers on August 2nd for traveling mercies--they mean an awful lot too.

Do you know other people who either have a blog, a web site, or might be interested in supporting the PMC? If yes, please feel free to forward to them the PMC links below.

Why support the Pan Mass Challenge? It is one of the few (only) charities where 100 cents on the dollar given actually goes to help; it used to be 97.2% (which is still high) but they were given a large sponsorship--which runs all the costs of this small non-profit. The proceeds are used to both help treat people, mostly children, from around the world who go to Dana Farber Cancer for treatment, and it also funds research in procedures to stop cancer----this research is then shared with all cancer-focused hospitals around the US and around the world. The fight is not again one particular form of cancer, the fight is against all cancer.

Why did I ride in 2005 and why am I riding again? While I liked helping by giving platelets and have done so since early 1980s (take blood out of one arm, pull out white blood cells, put rest of blood back in a different arm) knowing that this was going directly to help save someone's life, I realized--it is not doing anything to stop the cause of cancer. Medicine has done much to stop polio and so many other terrible diseases. But there is still an awfully long way to go to stop cancer. By riding I hope we can end cancer in our lifetime.

If you would like to sponsor me, please visit the Pan Mass Challenge website and locate me either by my last name (Wait) or by my egift number (JW0162). I'm listed as 'John Wait - Andover, MA US - Rider'.

Information about tax acknowledgement for donating to PMC is available.

You can also send a check, instead of donating online. Checks may be made payable to the PMC, Jimmy Fund, DFCI, or any combination of the three. If you are sponsoring a rider please send your check directly to the rider. Donations by check to sponsor the general PMC fund may be sent to:

Pan-Massachusetts Challenge
77 4th Avenue
Needham, MA 02494

Thank you very much, and may God's Peace be with you,
John W. Wait
P.O. Box 575
Andover, MA 01810