New JK E-mail-Preparing to Ride in his 9th Pan Mass Challenge/Fundraising for the Jimmy Fund

What a great cause! And he's so right--this is so deeply personal to so many, on many different levels. Of course he mentions Teresa and her cancer battle as a personal source of inspiration for him for this--I hope she is either fully recovered or well on the way! In one sense, he seems to be speaking of that in the present tense--"we've been facing" as opposed to "we have faced" but that could be me overanalyzing :)--but then again I suppose something like this is always on the radar of those who have experienced it either themselves or because of a loved one...and JK has an especially keen sense of perspective on it too as a cancer survivor himself, I'd imagine.

Either way, this is a terrific cause. I think the race is in August or at least I rememeber it being last year..August or later July. It wasn't long after I'd first moved to Mass, I remember that.

:) :




Hello Tara,

If your inbox is anything like mine, you’ve been flooded with emails the last few days asking you to give to really important races across the country.

But today I hope you’ll make time to help in a race that’s completely different, a battle that’s incredibly important to all of us as Americans. This race doesn't belong to an election cycle – because everyone has a stake in the fight against cancer.

It’s deeply personal. For my family, it’s something we’ve been facing anew over the last year and a half when Teresa was diagnosed with breast cancer and took it head-on with grace and with great care.

We’re not alone -- for all of us, this disease is personal – and helping those who are working towards a cure is once again important to me as I prepare to ride in my 9th Pan Mass Challenge, the annual 110 mile bike ride that raises money for cancer research and treatment.

Please join me by contributing to the fight against cancer.
Your donation will support the Jimmy Fund, the nation’s premier foundation dedicated to funding cancer treatment and research. Because of the dedication of millions of people like you who contribute each year, cancer diagnoses that used to be a death sentence can now be treated and in some cases cured. And treatment options are becoming ever more varied, with new, less invasive options discovered. We’re making progress, but we still have a long way to go, and we need to keep pushing to save more lives.

So many of you have been generous in the past when I’ve asked you to consider rolling up your sleeves for this cause -- and I hope you will consider supporting my ride once again by making a contribution to the Jimmy Fund. Please make a donation today.
Thanks so much for your consideration. Together we can keep making a difference. I am convinced we can soon minimize some cancers, perhaps have vaccinations against some and certainly reduce the scourge we experience today. Please help us to do that.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

As to the use of present tense, he is speaking of a one and a half year period since she was diagnosed. Early in that period, she was also dealing with the effect of a concussion that, from her comments at her Pittsburgh conference, was at least as difficult to deal with. Even for those younger, the treatment itself extracts a toll. ( Just recently, watching the 2000 Kerry roast Imus, one thing I was struck by was how much more vigorous he looked there than during 2004 - and even more 2003 in the late primaries. Not to mention, that he almost seems more like the 2000 Kerry than the early 2003 Kerry now - years later.)

When she first spoke to the media, she had a 95% chance of surviving this, that addition treatments could push to 99%. From all accounts, it was caught unusually early and she has access to the best treatment possible. However, just as with JK, the treatments themselves seem to take a toll and she looked more fragile. She did look fine in the more recent pictures. A year and a half, is likely too early to speak in past tense.

(In lesser news, I did see on Scott Brown's page that he is doing it again too - and this time actually trying to raise money. He even has a separate facebook page just for his ride. So, Kerry was a good influence on him in this at least.)

..especially JK, having been through his own battle with cancer in just the last several years. And I imagine even now, he is still careful (hence Imus' question in the interview he did the other day and JK's answer). She did look really good in the last picture I've seen of her (I think taken in March sometime) and she looked fantastic at Symphony Hall in December (the only time I've seen her in person so far). :)

I got to see that 2000 roast! :D

JK does seem especially refreshed and vigorous now, both his appearance and energy level are that of someone 15-20 years younger, I think. And I still remember how he beat Brown at last year's race--even though Brown had so arrogantly thrown JK's age at him in an interview he did at the starting line. I know, I know this is not an event that's really for the sake of competition, but watch JK beat him again this year! hehe :D

Good that Brown is at least raising money or at least trying to raise money for this this year, though. Want to see this get as much as possible, as it's such a great and important cause!