Locals will ride to raise critical funds for live-saving cancer research and patient care

On August 6 and 7, more than 6,000 riders, including 22 riders from Somerville, will pedal in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a bike-a-thon with one and two-day routes from 25 to 210 miles, with the goal of topping last year’s record-breaking gift and raising $66 million for cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber).

The PMC is the nation’s single most successful athletic fundraiser, donating 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar to Dana-Farber as its largest single contributor, accounting for 55 percent of its Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the PMC has raised more than $114 million for Dana-Farber, bringing its 42-year contribution to Dana-Farber to $831 million.

“We’re coming off of a record-breaking fundraising year for Dana-Farber, and we’re thrilled to be ‘back in the saddle’ this summer, bringing our PMC community together for our first traditional PMC weekend since 2019 with our sights set on making an even bigger impact in the fight against cancer,” said Billy Starr, founder and executive director of the PMC. “We are so inspired by the dedication of our riders, volunteers, donors, sponsors and community members throughout the last two challenging years and can’t wait to see everyone on the road this August for the 43^rd PMC.”

PMC 2022 will include 16 routes – from 25 to 210 miles – designed to cater to all levels of cycling and fundraising ability. Most participate in honor of a family member or friend fighting cancer and more than 800 riders and volunteers are cancer survivors or current patients, considered Living Proof® of the PMC mission. More than 150 Dana-Farber employees are committed to the cause as riders and volunteers as well, in some cases to fund their own cancer research.

The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation^® and M&T Bank. To make a financial contribution to a rider from your town or to register as a rider, visit www.pmc.org, or call (800) WE-CYCLE. Connect with #PMC2022 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Thank you to the following riders from Somerville:

• Jennifer Abramson
• Alyssa Boehm
• Betsy Bowman
• Greg Cantor
• Madison Chapman
• Peter Cote
• Chip Daley
• Lance Davis
• Cameron Deery
• Adam Fraust-Wylie
• Brandon Kaswer
• Ian Marlier
• Josh McCarthy
• Rachel O’Lear
• Stephen Pease
• Sam Polk
• Charles Rose
• Eleanor Schmidt
• Kristine Schroeder
• Paul Shaskan
• Tyler Smith
• Taylor Witkin

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 $831 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 55 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.