Craig A Bunnell, Chief Medical Officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, shared on LinkedIn:
“Last week, something struck me in clinic.
Nearly every patient I saw was receiving a treatment that simply did not exist when I began my career as a medical oncologist nearly three decades ago.
In less than one week, I’ll climb onto my bicycle for my 12th Pan-Mass Challenge, riding 192 miles to raise money for the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
As Chief Medical Officer at Dana-Farber, I have the privilege of seeing every day what philanthropy makes possible. But it is in my own breast oncology clinic where I am reminded most profoundly why this ride matters.
Some of the women I cared for last week have been my patients for more than twenty years-some for nearly thirty. When I first met many of them, their life expectancy would have been measured in months. Today, they are watching children grow up, celebrating anniversaries, welcoming grandchildren, traveling, working, and living lives they once feared they would never have.
Many of the therapies that have made those moments possible were developed through clinical trials conducted at Dana-Farber and made possible, in part, through the generosity of people who chose to invest in cancer research.
It is an extraordinary time in oncology. Scientific advances are occurring at a pace I could scarcely have imagined when I began practicing. Yet it is also a challenging moment. As research funding becomes increasingly uncertain, philanthropic support has never been more important. Every dollar raised through the Pan-Mass Challenge goes directly to Dana-Farber, helping ensure that promising discoveries continue to become lifesaving treatments.
This is also a transformative time for our institution. We are building New England’s only freestanding cancer hospital-designed entirely around the unique needs of cancer patients and built to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into better care. It represents our commitment to the future, but it will only fulfill its promise if we continue to support the research that makes those discoveries possible.
This year, my fundraising goal is $12,000.
It marks my 12th PMC ride.
I would be deeply grateful for your support.
You can donate here using my eGift ID: CB0071.
A colleague once shared a thought that has stayed with me:
‘Our job is to deliver on the promise of cancer science and, at Dana-Farber, that promise is going to be delivered on a bicycle. When they write the history of how cancer was cured, the Pan-Mass Challenge and its supporters are going to be on page one.’
After nearly three decades caring for patients-and twelve years riding the PMC-I believe that more strongly than ever.
Thank you for your generosity and for your partnership in this mission. Every donation, regardless of size, helps write the next chapter in the story of progress against cancer.”