RIDING FOR A CURE | PAN MASS CHALLENGE 2024

Dear Friends,

This is a special post, taking a minute to steer away from our usual postings of light and easy style and design.

The last few months have been a particularly challenging time for Team Paton and Team KPI. My husband, Scott Paton, was in a very serious bike riding accident as he was preparing for his 18th Pan Mass Challenge bike ride to support the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  I share his story below. For those followers not from Boston.  The Pan Mass Challenge is a yearly 192 bike ride across the state of Massachusetts ending in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod to raise money for cancer research.Cancer touches all of our lives. I lost my mum to leukemia when she was just 64. For over 90% of patients diagnosed with her type of cancer, it is curable via a drug called Gleevak, which was developed by Dana Farber, specifically through the hundreds of millions of dollars raised by the PMC. Sadly for my mum, she was missing the chromosome that put her in the 10% of her diagnosis. 

Brianna Nelson, our KPI Social Media and Marketing coordinator, and her family are rallying around her sister Heather, who is in her own colon cancer battle. Although her outlook is very positive, it is an uphill battle. Cancer is terribly unfair, attacking Heather at a young age of 35 with three small children watching.  She will win her battle with cancer, but the confidence in that outlook is due to the advancement of cancer research through centers of research like Dana Farber.

Augusta Mayer, our KPI Project Coordinator’s fiancé Alex Young, just lost his father, Mark Young after a 12 year battle with multiple myeloma. They feel his loss acutely, particularly during this special time as they are planning their wedding without him there. 

Please support me and our team during the Pan Mass Challenge. Every dollar counts and every cent raised goes directly to the Dana Farber Cancer research. We will send pictures from next weekend’s event so you can be part of this incredibly moving and impactful event.  Please see the bottom of my husband’s note below for information on how to support the cause.  

Thank you,

This is my 18th Pan Mass Challenge and a monumental year in the history of the event. 

44 years ago, the founder of the PMC, Billy Starr, launched an absurd goal of raising $1 billion to support Dana Faber and cancer research.  This year the event will cross that $1 billion mark and I couldn’t be more excited about being part of this incredible milestone.

 

Many of you know, in 2007 I rode my first Pan Mass Challenge, the 192 mile bike ride to raise money for research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, to honor my mother-in-law Jean Sullivan who was taken by leukemia. I was overwhelmed by her bravery in her battle, how she remained positive and fought for every day, despite the gruesome physical and emotional struggles as her body and her life gave way.  I wanted to honor her with a statement that said she would not be forgotten and that she would remain with us always.  My first Pan Mass was very emotional.  The endless stream of cancer survivors on the road with their families cheering us on and saying thank you brought tears to my eyes.  I was deeply impacted as to how these brave souls attributed the success of this ride with contributions to their own survival. I was moved to tears on a number of occasions as I hear their stories and thought of Jean.  I decided on that first day that I would commit myself to riding the PMC until I could not ride any longer.  After my incredible first experience, my wife, Kristin, and a fantastic group of friends, The Spin and Tonics, who have made this same commitment, have joined me.  Thanks to you, with a successful ride this year, The Spin and Tonics will have raised over $3 million for the Dana Farber Institute.  To celebrate this monumental year, not only is my wife Kristin rejoining the team, but all three of our children: Eliza (27), Myles (25) and Honor (21) will all be riding in the PMC this year, at least that was the plan….

 

 

 

Unfortunately, on June 29th I was on a training ride when a driver of a Tesla Super Truck pulled out of their driveway onto the bike path and with no time to react I crushed into the Truck.  I was rushed to Nantucket Hospital where I was Air Medivaced off island to Brigham and Women’s in Boston.  I spent 5 days in Intensive Care with a lacerated kidney, a ruptured pancreas and a dissected artery that caused internal bleeding, in addition to a broken arm, broken shoulder and a fair share of cuts and bruises.  Frankly, I am lucky to be alive.   I am so grateful to my family and friends that supported me as I have been recovering.  I am now out of danger and getting back on my feet. So while I wont be riding the PMC with my family on the first week in August, I will be cheering them on and I will be back on the bike and complete the ride before years end (ambitious goal-you need one in recovery).

We are incredibly grateful for all your support. 100 percent of every dollar donated supports Dana-Farber’s world-class research and care. If you want to donate this year, and support my (belated)  and/or my family’s ride, please follow the instructions below:

 

How to Sponsor a Rider in the PMC

 

There are three ways to make a contribution: 

1.    Pay online with a credit card by clicking on any of the accounts below (you can also put in my account and I will distribute) 

a.    Scott Paton:  www.pmc.org/egifts/sp0133  

b.    Kristin Paton:   www.pmc.org/egifts/kp0106

c.     Eliza Paton:  www.pmc.org/egifts/ep0172

d.    Myles Paton:  www.pmc.org/egifts/mp0491

e.    Honor Paton:  www.pmc.org/egifts/hp0073

2.    Write a check made out to Pan Mass Challenge and send to:

Scott Paton, 88 Chestnut St Boston, MA 02108

3.    Just comment on this blog and say “I’m In!” and I will follow up with you to take care of the details!

 

Thank You! 

 

Scott, Kristin, Eliza, Myles and Honor Paton