Dear Friends and Family:

This year's in-person Ride For Roswell is back on track, scheduled for June 24. Since its inception in 1996 by my friend, Mitch Flynn, funds raised by this Ride have sponsored new research projects as well as programs for patients and their families. The COVID pandemic dampened fundraising during 2020-2021, but all of us who are committed to Roswell Park's mission break our pre-COVID record by raising more than $5.4 million last year.  

As always, I ride in memory of my beloved father, Cantor Charles Gelman, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer 18 years ago. Even though my field of cancer genetics has made tremendous strides in diagnosing and treating many cancers, our community was reminded this year that more work needs to be done. I also ride for pillars of our community, Valerie Rosenhoch and Dr. Kevin Kulick, who lost their battles with cancer. I especially ride for my dear friend, Leslie Kramer, herself a devoted RfR fundraiser and rider, who died in early 2022 after a battle against a rare, aggressive cancer. They remind me every day of the importance of our work at Roswell Park to understand, prevent and treat cancer, and to bring hope and healing to future cancer sufferers.

In the past several years, at least a dozen friends, friends of friends, and family have learned that they, too, have cancer. In all these cases, I try to steer them seek help at local Comprehensive Cancer Centers, such as Roswell Park, whose researchers spend their lives studying and treating specific types of cancer.  Many beloved friends in our community have benefitted from the fact that we, in Buffalo, have the first Comprehensive Cancer Center in the U.S.  I can't tell you how happy it has made me that these friends have received top-level, cutting-edge treatment here, and are now back, cancer-free, to their lives, families and friends.  

I know that our concerted effort will bring us one step closer to a cure.

I need your help to reach my goal of $5,000! It’s easy to make a donation to my fundraising efforts – just go to https://rideforroswell.org/, click on the DONATE button (top right), type in my name to safely and easily donate online. Alternatively, you can mail me a check (130 Windsor Avenue, Buffalo, NY  14209) made out to "Ride for Roswell". 

With one in two men and one in three women in America being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, most of us know someone who has been affected by this devastating disease. You can make a difference by supporting me in The Ride For Roswell.  Together, we can help find cancer cures and save lives.