Top-Ranked Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Receives Its Largest Single Donation Ever, $69 Million from the Pan-Mass Challenge

Record-Breaking Gift Brings the PMC's Total Contributions in Support of Cancer Research to $900 Million Since 1980

BOSTON, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), the nation's single most successful athletic fundraiser, announced a record-breaking $69 million gift to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This gift brings the PMC's total contribution to the fight against cancer to $900 million since 1980 and is the largest single donation Dana-Farber has ever received.

The gift will be used to accelerate innovation in cancer research, clinical trials and treatment. A majority of the dollars raised by PMC riders are unrestricted, which allows Dana-Farber to utilize at their discretion to support vital research and treatment trials that may have otherwise gone unfunded. In recent years, PMC funding has supported Dana-Farber researchers in leading clinical trials that resulted in the first CAR T-cell therapies approved by the FDA for indolent follicular lymphoma and multiple myeloma, a major milestone for patients with these cancers.

"Our riders stepped up in unprecedented ways this year to raise an astounding $69 million for our beneficiary, Dana-Farber, a world leader in cancer research and treatment," said PMC Founder and Executive Director Billy Starr. "A gift of this magnitude will move the needle in so many ways, but there remains work to be done. As the PMC heads towards a $1 billion cumulative fundraising milestone, our community continues to raise the bar to bring us closer by the mile to cures for cancer."

For the 16^th consecutive year, the PMC donated 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar to support the lifesaving mission of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. This year's record-breaking gift was revealed during a celebratory evening for riders, volunteers and corporate partners at the Encore Boston Harbor Resort and Casino on Saturday night.

"I am continually in awe of the PMC community's unwavering commitment to defy cancer with their generosity," said Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber. "I am proud to be a part of this dedicated community as a seven-year rider myself. The PMC's impact is extraordinary and fully supports our efforts to forge scientific breakthroughs that translate into new, promising therapies for patients and families around the world."

In August, the PMC brought together more than 6,400 riders from 43 states and 8 countries to cycle up to 211 miles across Massachusetts for its 43^rd ride, the first traditional PMC Ride Weekend since 2019. New in October 2022, the PMC hosted PMC Unpaved, a first-of-its-kind, one-day, off-road gravel ride which took place in the Massachusetts' Berkshires. This inaugural event, which joins PMC Ride Weekend, PMC Winter Cycle and the PMC Kids Rides program as yet another opportunity to commit to the PMC's mission and support Dana-Farber, brought together hundreds of new and existing PMC riders for a fun and challenging off-road cycling experience.

The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation^® and M&T Bank. To learn more or to donate to the cause, visit www.pmc.org, or call (800) WE-CYCLE. Connect with #PMC2022 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world's leading centers of cancer research and treatment. Dana-Farber's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. Dana-Farber is a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. We provide the latest treatments in cancer for adults through Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and for children through Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the only hospital nationwide with a top 4 U.S. News & World Report Best Cancer Hospital ranking in both adult and pediatric care. As a global leader in oncology, Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance between cancer research and care, translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world, offering more than 1,100 clinical trials.

About the Pan-Mass Challenge
The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is a bikeathon that today raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the world. 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 $900 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 60 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. The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation^® and M&T Bank. For more information on the Pan-Mass Challenge, visit www.pmc.org.

SOURCE Pan-Mass Challenge