Pan-Mass Challenge Announces Unprecedented $56 Million Gift to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Organization Greatly Exceeds Fundraising Goal, Bringing 39-Year Total to $654 Million in Support of Critical Advancements in Cancer Research and Treatment

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Pan-Mass Challenge

Nov 04, 2018, 12:30 ET

NEEDHAM, Mass., Nov. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) today announced the largest gift ever contributed by an organization to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber) – a record-breaking $56 million raised in 2018 that will support adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research. The reveal was made at an intimate brunch event celebrating the thousands of riders, volunteers and corporate partners that contributed. The organization exceeded last year's contribution by a staggering $5 million and, since its inception in 1980, has raised a total of $654 million for the world-renowned cancer institute.

The Pan-Mass Challenge announced an unprecedented $56 million gift to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at an intimate event on Sunday, November 4 that celebrated the riders, volunteers and corporate partners that contributed. Photo Credit: 13 Photography

As Dana-Farber's largest contributor, the PMC accounts for 54 percent of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue. These dollars play an integral role in the institute's unprecedented advancements in cancer research, treatment and care, and more than 150 Dana-Farber employees participate as riders and volunteers, fundraising to support their own research initiatives and clinical trials. The PMC continues to lead the a-thon industry it pioneered, with this year's gift more than doubling dollars raised by the next largest cycling event.

"The impact of the PMC community is truly unparalleled. The magnitude of a $56 million gift raised by 10,000 PMC riders and volunteers is obvious to anyone who funds cancer research," said Billy Starr, PMC founder and executive director. "For 39 years, we've increased our fundraising goals and each year the dedication of an ever-expanding PMC family exceeds even our highest expectations. 2018 is no exception – this year's gift will further enable Dana-Farber's global advancements in cancer research, care and treatment."

On August 4 and 5, 2018, the PMC united 6,400 cyclists ranging in age from 13 to 85 with the common goal of raising this year's monumental gift. Designed to cater to all levels of cycling and fundraising abilities, the PMC offers riders the choice of 12 routes of varying distance, ranging from 25 miles all the way up to the hallmark, two-day 192-mile ride that the organization is most known for. Many ride in honor of a family member or friend lost to, or being treated for, cancer, as 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. At the cornerstone of the PMC community are the more than 900 PMC riders and volunteers that are cancer survivors or current patients, considered "Living Proof" of the PMC spirit and mission to find a cure.

"I am honored to be a part of the PMC family and am in awe of how participants continue to push themselves and increase their contributions to PMC and Dana-Farber," said Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber. "We're particularly grateful for this year's astounding $56 million gift which is vital to our ongoing work. The PMC plays a very important role in Dana-Farber's fight against cancer by providing critical funds to sustain our mission and empowering groundbreaking work across our laboratories and clinics. The funds raised enable Dana-Farber to invest in bold research that leads to discovering better cancer treatments through drug development and provide the very best patient care."

The PMC began in 1980 when Starr and 35 of his friends rode across Massachusetts and raised $10,200 for cancer research. It is recognized as the pioneering event that connected athleticism to charitable fundraising. Today, athletic fundraising events annually raise more than $4 billion, funding crucial programs at health and human service organizations nationwide.

The PMC is presented by New Balance and the Red Sox Foundation. In addition, more than 200 companies support the event by providing more than $7 million in goods and services each year. During PMC weekend and throughout the year, more than 4,000 volunteers donate their time to support the organization. Next year, the PMC will reach a major milestone with its 40th ride on August 3 and 4, 2019.

For more information or to make a financial contribution to a rider, visit www.pmc.org, or call (800) WE-CYCLE. Connect with #PMC2019 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About the Pan-Mass Challenge
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is a bike-a-thon that today raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the world. The 40^th PMC will take place on August 3 and 4, 2019. The PMC was founded in 1980 by Billy Starr, who remains the event's executive director, an annual cyclist and a fundraiser. The PMC has since raised $654 million for adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. The event donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause, generating 54 percent of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue as Dana-Farber's single largest contributor. The PMC has successfully melded support from committed cyclists, volunteers, corporate sponsors and individual contributors, all of which are essential to the PMC's goal and model: to attain maximum fundraising efficiency while increasing its annual gift. The PMC's hope and aspiration is to provide Dana-Farber's doctors and researchers with the necessary resources to discover cures for all cancers. For more information on the Pan-Mass Challenge, visit www.pmc.org.

About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
From achieving the first remissions in cancer with chemotherapy in 1948, to developing the very latest new therapies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world's leading centers of cancer research and treatment. It is the only center ranked in the top 4 of U.S. News and World Report's Best Hospitals for both adult and pediatric cancer care.

Dana-Farber sits at the center of a wide range of collaborative efforts to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center provides the latest in cancer care for adults; Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center for children. The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center unites the cancer research efforts of five Harvard academic medical centers and two graduate schools, while Dana-Farber Community Cancer Care provides high-quality cancer treatment in communities outside Boston's Longwood Medical Area.

Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique 50/50 balance between cancer research and care, and much of the Institute's work is dedicated to translating the results of its discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world.

SOURCE Pan-Mass Challenge