Jamaica Plain woman with breast cancer to ride her first Pan-Mass Challenge as 'living proof' rider
JAMAICA PLAIN - Dena Ofengeim, 29, first learned about the Pan Mass Challenge in high school. But it wasn't until she became a patient at Dana Farber Cancer Institute that she realized the ride's impact on funding lifesaving cancer research.
"I couldn't walk for a while. And the second I realized I was back in shape, when I was able to walk, I knew I needed to do something that helped me raise awareness and money," said Ofengeim. This August, she will experience the ride firsthand. Ofengeim and six friends are riding the two-day Wellesley to Provincetown PMC route as "TEAM BREAST FRIENDS."
Ofengeim's symptoms began in the spring of 2021 as moderately uncomfortable back pain. The world was still in the throes of the pandemic and a host of factors convinced Ofengeim she was dealing with sciatica. Eventually, she took her concerns to a doctor who agreed that, as a young woman who had been sitting at a desk or a couch for long periods of time, back pain was not unusual. She began going to physical therapy but the pain continued. She began losing weight. She assumed that was the result of exercising less because of the back pain. "You don't want it to be anything bad and your doctor's telling you it's nothing bad so of course it's nothing bad," she said, recalling her feelings over an eight-month period of pain that ultimately became unbearable.
It was around that time, in late 2021, that Ofengeim felt a lump in her breast. Even that did not alarm her doctor who explained that breast mass can shift. But she convinced the doctor that she needed an MRI. The earliest appointment available wasn't for another three months. Ofengeim booked it and, one week later, woke up unable to feel her legs. She went to the emergency room where a battery of tests (and an MRI) revealed that she had metastatic breast cancer. Ofengeim was shocked and angry. She now urges other young people to take pain seriously.
"Anybody tells me that something's wrong, I say go to the doctor. I'm a different person now. Young people need to learn that you need to be your own advocate. Because you're not meant to get screenings for this stuff until you're 40 unless you have a family history," said Ofengeim. Even at the time of her diagnosis, she didn't realize that it was terminal.
More than anything, she said, she was sad for other people. The diagnosis came just months before Ofengeim and Josh Kerslake were getting married. Suddenly, it seemed the future they'd planned was in question. At their first appointment, doctors explained that because Dena's cancer is estrogen-positive, she would have to shut off her ovaries and go into a pre-menopausal state. She hoped it meant that she would only have to temporarily give up the dream of having children. But cancer was quickly reshaping her future in ways that felt both frightening and finite. "You can be angry. You can be sad. You can say, 'Why me?' But you go to Dana [Farber] and you see the people who have it and you say, 'Why any of them?' I think the anger was at the world. But it's subsided," said Ofengeim.
Starting treatment at Dana Farber under Dr. Sarah Tolaney's care gave Ofengeim peace of mind. "They were great about education and putting me in touch with resources. I think the thing that sticks out is that I didn't have a bad experience when I was there," said Ofengeim. Kerslake agreed. He said that he and Ofengeim never feel "like we're just a number."
Ofengeim is currently part of a clinical trial and taking an oral chemotherapy drug. She said the side effects are relatively mild. If and when the drug stops working, she is confident, based on breast cancer research, breakthroughs and Dr. Tolaney's expertise, that there will be other available treatments. "While my illness is terminal, a lot of times it can be treated like a chronic illness," said Ofengeim.
Walking through her Jamaica Plain neighborhood with her dog Cooper, Ofengeim is thankful for the strength, mobility and endurance to enjoy activities she once took for granted. She said that her diagnosis has given her a healthy perspective on what's really important. "Letting certain things go-things you can't control." She is also eager to test herself in this year's PMC. "I'd signed up for an alert. I got it, saw the registration was coming out, I kinda didn't think about it, and registered. And then I realized you also have to train for the ride," she said, laughing.
She didn't have to convince her friends to join her. Their only concern was fundraising. The fundraising minimum for each two-day rider is $6000. To date, TEAM BREAST FRIENDS has raised more than $61,000. Ofengeim said it's nice to see the community who supported her when she got sick now rallying around her fundraising.
Kerslake isn't riding. But on PMC weekend, he will play a critical role in the team's effort. "I'm the first line of support for everyone," he said, smiling, "I'll be Water Boy or anything else."
Ofengeim appreciates the feeling of working toward a goal that is now just weeks away. "At the end of this to say that I biked 162 miles, after having a spinal fusion last year, with Stage Four cancer? I think that's pretty cool!"
Ofengeim will ride as part of the PMC Living Proof community of riders and volunteers who were, are, or have been undergoing cancer treatment. In 2022, there were more than 950 Living Proof participants.
Ofengeim and Kerslake celebrate their first anniversary this summer. Kerslake is making plans and keeping them secret. Even without the details, there is no question they will savor the milestone. "In the last year," Kerslake explained, "we've been to Italy and Spain. We traveled to four places last month. You get lazy in life and say, 'Everything will be fine. We'll do it in ten or twenty years.' When we are together we try to make the most of every day."
To contribute to TEAM BREAST FRIENDS' PMC, click here.
To contribute to TEAM BREAST FRIENDS' t-shirt fundraiser, click here.