Ellie's Pan-Mass Challenge Ride
Donation protected
Dear Family and Friends,
I am excitedly (and nervously) writing to you to announce that this summer I will be joining my father and the rest of Team Kermit for the 2016 Pan-Mass Challenge bike ride! On August 6th and 7th I will be riding alongside 6,000 other cyclists as I attempt to bike from Wellesley to Provincetown, a mere 163 miles (cue the Advil). Unlike my father, I am not an experienced biker, so I did not quite understand the magnitude of 163 miles, or 262 kilometers, when I registered for the ride. As I am sure many of you do not understand as well, I have decided to put it into perspective for you. I will be biking the length of 2,869 football fields, 19,125 school buses, or 570, 217 fully-grown cats (not including their tails). I hope this has helped you understand the degree of what I will be enduring.
Over the past 36 years, the PMC has raised $500,000,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Unfortunately, I have witnessed first hand the impact of the donations at the hospital. For those of you who don’t know, in 2009 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, she was able to fight off the disease and return to her everyday life. However, this past summer, the cancer returned. This time it is stage 4 metastasized breast cancer that formed on her breastbone, spotted its way through her left lung, and covered her liver in tumors. This came as a complete shock to us all, as my mother has more energy than anyone I have ever met, and it seemed nearly impossible that on the inside cancer was slowly taking over her body. Needless to say, this was not going to stop her, and she began treatment at Dana Farber a week after her diagnosis.
One morning in June I was responsible for picking my mom up from the hospital after she had her liver biopsy. Driving up to Dana Farber, I was in complete astonishment. The “hospital” resembles a mini city made up of brand new, huge glass buildings, equipped with a valet service in the parking garage and a lobby that could easily be mistaken for a five-star hotel. Without having paid attention to my mother’s directions the night before, I suddenly realized I had no idea where I was going. So for some reason, I decided to wander around aimlessly until I stumbled on the post-op room. This is when my desire to ride the PMC first formed. It felt like every hall I took, every lobby I entered, every bridge I crossed bringing me to a new building, they all had plaques on the walls thanking the PMC for its donations and years of commitment. The PMC is the largest donator to Dana Farber, providing millions of dollars each year for the best doctors and researchers in the world.
Thanks to Dana Farber, my mom has received great medical care, has wonderful doctors, and is fortunately reacting excellently to her medicine (her tumor markers have dropped from 3750 to 65- but don’t ask me what this means because I have no idea, it just sounds great!) I am riding in the PMC to thank everyone at Dana Farber for taking care of my mom, and raising money to help provide the same amazing opportunities and five-star care to those who unfortunately have to deal with cancer. I have created a GoFundMe page if you wish to donate to my ride, any little bit truly helps, and I ask that you think of me while I am painfully struggling and cursing my way to Provincetown this summer.
Thank you!
Ellie Olsen
I am excitedly (and nervously) writing to you to announce that this summer I will be joining my father and the rest of Team Kermit for the 2016 Pan-Mass Challenge bike ride! On August 6th and 7th I will be riding alongside 6,000 other cyclists as I attempt to bike from Wellesley to Provincetown, a mere 163 miles (cue the Advil). Unlike my father, I am not an experienced biker, so I did not quite understand the magnitude of 163 miles, or 262 kilometers, when I registered for the ride. As I am sure many of you do not understand as well, I have decided to put it into perspective for you. I will be biking the length of 2,869 football fields, 19,125 school buses, or 570, 217 fully-grown cats (not including their tails). I hope this has helped you understand the degree of what I will be enduring.
Over the past 36 years, the PMC has raised $500,000,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Unfortunately, I have witnessed first hand the impact of the donations at the hospital. For those of you who don’t know, in 2009 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, she was able to fight off the disease and return to her everyday life. However, this past summer, the cancer returned. This time it is stage 4 metastasized breast cancer that formed on her breastbone, spotted its way through her left lung, and covered her liver in tumors. This came as a complete shock to us all, as my mother has more energy than anyone I have ever met, and it seemed nearly impossible that on the inside cancer was slowly taking over her body. Needless to say, this was not going to stop her, and she began treatment at Dana Farber a week after her diagnosis.
One morning in June I was responsible for picking my mom up from the hospital after she had her liver biopsy. Driving up to Dana Farber, I was in complete astonishment. The “hospital” resembles a mini city made up of brand new, huge glass buildings, equipped with a valet service in the parking garage and a lobby that could easily be mistaken for a five-star hotel. Without having paid attention to my mother’s directions the night before, I suddenly realized I had no idea where I was going. So for some reason, I decided to wander around aimlessly until I stumbled on the post-op room. This is when my desire to ride the PMC first formed. It felt like every hall I took, every lobby I entered, every bridge I crossed bringing me to a new building, they all had plaques on the walls thanking the PMC for its donations and years of commitment. The PMC is the largest donator to Dana Farber, providing millions of dollars each year for the best doctors and researchers in the world.
Thanks to Dana Farber, my mom has received great medical care, has wonderful doctors, and is fortunately reacting excellently to her medicine (her tumor markers have dropped from 3750 to 65- but don’t ask me what this means because I have no idea, it just sounds great!) I am riding in the PMC to thank everyone at Dana Farber for taking care of my mom, and raising money to help provide the same amazing opportunities and five-star care to those who unfortunately have to deal with cancer. I have created a GoFundMe page if you wish to donate to my ride, any little bit truly helps, and I ask that you think of me while I am painfully struggling and cursing my way to Provincetown this summer.
Thank you!
Ellie Olsen
Organizer and beneficiary
Ellie Olsen
Organizer
Natick, MA
Hilary Olsen
Beneficiary