Since 2006, I have been asking for donations to the Pan Mass Challenge and 253 people have helped. As of last Friday morning, the total amount that you all have collectively made sat at $49,940.
So, as I am known to do, I took to Facebook and asked again for someone to help me reach this admittedly selfish milestone. I thought that it would be a pretty cool to reach $50k and it is something that I have been targeting since the summer of 2011 when I was going through cancer treatment again.
To all the people and their families who have donated and to the countless others people who have made my PMC journey the tremendously fulfilling part of my life that it is — THANK YOU!
While it is true that there is no gold pin or special sticker for reaching this milestone, at least not for me. To the benefactor that made the donation that pushed us past the mark, I will be sending a PMC Sticker! And that honor goes to my college friend Sarah! Her donation pushed the total overall amount donated from my friends, families, colleagues, and acquaintances to cancer research in less than 8 years to $50,040.48 .
There is a long way to go still to reach the ultimate goal – no more cancer! Please don’t think that this milestone means I am done… this is only the beginning. If you are reading this and you haven’t donated, it is easy, safe, and secure at http://www.pmc.org/as0171 and you are going to make a difference in the fight against cancer. The next goal that I have set for our motley and generous crew is for this year to match the total amount the Pan-Mass Challenge raised in its 1st year in 1980 – $10,200. It is early March, and we are 10% of the way there.
On a ‘Andy’s Cancer History” note – I do believe Sarah was one of the first dozen people that I told about my first diagnosis with cancer about 18 years ago.
I Wasn't Sick ... I Just HAD Cancer 
You are amazing, dear Andy.