First Ride

The PMC is in 50 days, and yesterday I got on my bike for the first time this season! Knee surgery and recuperation/rehab required the delay. So, 'ride #1', for the season was 43 days post-op an 50 days pre-PMC. I now feel as confident that I'll ride as the docs were skeptical that I would when we scgeduled surgery.

So what!!! This is such a sml challenge when compared to those faced by the patients, families, and loved ones who face the confrontation with cancer. Lucky me that a doc could snip, poke, drill and screw the solution into my knee!

It's a great day! The sun is shining, I'm breathing deeply as I pedal, and I'm reminded of the l pleasures life presents as my knee says 'hi there!'
John Marchiony

2008 PMC Campaign Launch!

The Pan Mass Challenge is so much more than an incredible weekend in August. It starts, for participants, with registration in January and continues through the presentation of the funds raised in late October or early November.

Yesterday, June 1st, kids rode in the first PMC Kids Ride in Wellesley. This year there will be 24, with the last on September 28.

In 2008, Team Avanti -- now a true team of five -- again will ride in the quest to eradicate cancer by raising funds for the Jimmy Fund and the researchers at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. John Marchiony, Rob Rodgers, Rob Mosher and Joe Parrish are our "veterans," and Matt Schulman will be a rookie.

You can help and participate in many ways. For starters, please help us reach our goal of carrying 1,000 "Thrivers, Survivors, and Angels" with us. These are the people in your life who have been touched by cancer.

To see what we're talking about, please scroll down to our August 1, 2007 post where we were able to share the names and a few words about the 129 special people who inspired our ride last year. To add a name and story, please send an email to TeamAvanti@marchiony.com.

If you also would like to donate to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, please visit the Team Avanti eGift page.

There's more to come! We hope to have you with Team Avanti!

John, Rob, Rob, Joe & Matt
Avanti! (which means "Forward! or "Onward!")