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Pan-Mass Challenge
FormationAugust 1980; 44 years ago (1980-08)
FounderBilly Starr
TypeAthletic fundraiser
PurposeFundraising for cancer research and care
HeadquartersNeedham, Massachusetts
Staff13[1] (2024)
Volunteers3,500[2] (2023)
Websitepmc.org

The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is a fundraising bike-a-thon started in 1980 by Billy Starr to benefit the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute via the Jimmy Fund.[3][4] It raises more money than any other single athletic fundraiser in the country.[5]

History

[edit]

Starr created the Pan-Mass Challenge in 1980, several years after his mother contracted melanoma.[3] In its first year, the event raised $10,200 and had 36 riders, who rode from Springfield to Provincetown.[6][7] The PMC was the first athletic fundraiser to require participants to guarantee their pledges with a personal credit card,[8] a change that caused riders' delinquency rate to fall from 17 percent to 3 percent.[9] The 2023 Pan-Mass Challenge, its 44th annual event, featured 6,500 participants and raised $72 million,[10] the single largest donation in the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's history.[11]

Notable past riders in the PMC include former NFL quarterback Alex Smith,[12] three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond,[13] Olympic speed skater Johann Olav Koss, multiple Boston Marathon winner Uta Pippig,[14] three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Brown,[15] Joshua Bekenstein (a PMC board member), Dana-Farber CEO Laurie Glimcher,[16] Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Boston mayor Marty Walsh,[17] restaurateur Jody Adams,[18] former Secretary of State John Kerry,[19] Nobel laureate William Kaelin,[20] Senator Scott Brown,[21] Judge Samuel Zoll,[22] Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne,[23] and football player Joe Andruzzi.[24]

Format

[edit]
Cyclists riding in the 2011 Pan-Mass Challenge.

Each August, cyclists ride for one or two days, on one of 12 routes ranging from 25 to 192 miles long[25] running through 47 Massachusetts towns.[26] The longest route runs from Sturbridge to Provincetown.[7] Some teams have "Pedal Partners", children who are currently receiving cancer treatment via the Jimmy Fund.[27][28][29] Riders commit to raising between $1,000 and $6,000, depending on their age and the route they will be riding.[30] As of 2015, 75 percent of riders had previously participated in the event, and 1,100 had participated for 10 years or more.[31]

In 2016 a new winter event, the PMC Winter Cycle, was created.[6] Since 2018, it has been held inside Fenway Park.[32][33] In 2023, the event featured hundreds of cyclists on stationary bikes and had a fundraising goal of $750,000.[34]

Local PMC Kids Rides are held throughout the year.[35][36][37]

In October 2022, more than 200 riders participated in the first PMC Unpaved event,[38][39] a one-day, off-road gravel ride in the Berkshires.[40] The second PMC Unpaved event occurred in September 2023.[41]

Impact

[edit]

The PMC generates 62% of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue as of 2023[42] and is the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute's single largest donor.[26][43] From 1980 to 2023, the event has raised a total of $972 million.[11] This funding has been directed to cancer care and research, including helping fund the development of 41 cancer drugs.[44] Since 2007, 100 percent of the money raised by riders goes to the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, with all event overhead funded by sponsors, entry fees, and other income.[45][7] In 2018, 200 sponsors provided $7 million in support.[46]

Since its inception, the PMC has inspired various other athletic fundraising events that followed it, like Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society and Pelotonia for the James Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio.[7] As of 2022, the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum ranked the PMC as joint third-largest "a-thon" fundraiser,[47] and the PMC grosses more than any other single event fundraiser.[31]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Our Team". Pan-Mass Challenge. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Who We Are". Pan-Mass Challenge. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b Eppolito, Sophia (4 August 2018). "'To cure cancer, you need to do research' — so these cyclists are funding some". Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  4. ^ Miller, Mary Helen (20 July 2011). "Pan-Mass Challenge: How cyclists raise the most money for charity". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  5. ^ Huss, Julie (3 August 2017). "Pan-Mass Challenge cyclists ride to support Dana-Farber". The Eagle-Tribune. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  6. ^ a b Whelan Jr., Tim (26 January 2018). "Wellesley resident Billy Starr set to bring first ever indoor cycling event to Fenway Park". The Wellesley Townsman. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Ailworth, Erin (3 August 2014). "The soul of a money-collecting machine". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  8. ^ Lindsay, Drew (1 March 2015). "Billy Starr Means Business". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  9. ^ Halpern, Joe (23 March 2018). "A memorable ride: Pan-Mass Challenge founder Billy Starr shows no signs of slowing down". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Pan-Mass Challenge donates record $72 million to cancer charity, closing in on $1 billion since 1980". AP News. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Pan-Mass Challenge donates record $72M". Boston Herald. Associated Press. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  12. ^ Sobey, Rick (3 August 2023). "Ex-NFL QB Alex Smith gears up to bike 200 miles across Massachusetts for the Pan-Mass Challenge; last year has been 'extremely difficult' as daughter fights brain tumor". Boston Herald. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ^ Lord, Robin (5 August 2006). "Paris to Pan-Mass". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ^ Meade, Lauren K. (3 August 2006). "Pedal-pushing for charity dollars". Boston Globe. pp. 73, 78. Retrieved 9 January 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Pan-Mass Challenge Riders Hit Massachusetts Roads For A Good Cause". CBS Boston. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  16. ^ Brown, Lillian (7 November 2018). "Pan-Mass Challenge celebrates record-breaking year". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  17. ^ Corsano, Erica (10 May 2015). "Social Studies: Garden party grows into a blooming bash". Boston Herald. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  18. ^ Murphy, Jen (29 July 2013). "Boston Chef Digs In to Ride for Charity". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  19. ^ Ducharme, Jamie (7 August 2017). "John Kerry Rode in the Pan-Mass Challenge This Year". Boston Magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  20. ^ Weintraub, Karen (12 September 2016). "Cancer researcher wins prestigious honor". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  21. ^ Schoenberg, Shira (17 July 2012). "U.S. Sen. Scott Brown to ride in Pan-Mass Challenge". MassLive.com. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  22. ^ Dalton, Tom (27 April 2011). "'The most honest person I ever met'". The Salem News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Pan-Mass Challenge Raises Record $63 Million for Dana-Farber". Philanthropy News Digest. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  24. ^ "PMC Kickoff: Former Patriot Joe Andruzzi". NECN. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  25. ^ Halpern, Joe (5 November 2018). "Pan-Mass Challenge raised record $56M for Dana-Farber this year". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  26. ^ a b "Pan-Mass Challenge to include Winchester residents". Wicked Local. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  27. ^ "PMC Community". Pan-Mass Challenge. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  28. ^ Havsy, Jane (30 July 2019). "NJ riders take on Pan-Mass Challenge bikeathon against cancer". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  29. ^ Rex, Kristina (3 August 2019). "Pictures Of Children Battling Cancer Along Route Motivate PMC Riders". CBS Boston. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  30. ^ "Pan-Mass riders roll for others - Concord Bridge". The Concord Bridge. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  31. ^ a b Bailey, Melissa (23 November 2015). "How a bike-a-thon raised half a billion dollars for cancer". Stat. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  32. ^ Bisbee, Dana (22 February 2019). "PMC Winter Cycle". The Improper Bostonian. Archived from the original on 23 Feb 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  33. ^ Sobey, Rick (8 June 2021). "Pan-Mass Challenge holds kickoff event at Fenway Park, sets $52 million fundraising goal". Boston Herald. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  34. ^ Fontes, Kristina (31 January 2023). "'My heart and soul': Berkley mom rides in PMC for daughter who lost battle with cancer". Taunton Daily Gazette. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  35. ^ "PMC Kids Rides". PMC Kids Rides. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  36. ^ "2019 Cranberry Country PMC Kids Ride set for June 2". South Coast Today. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  37. ^ "Natick PMC Kids Ride May 5". The Metro West Daily News. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  38. ^ Sobey, Rick (14 November 2022). "Pan-Mass Challenge donates record-breaking $69M to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute". Boston Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  39. ^ Bellow, Heather (1 October 2022). "Cyclists take to unpaved Berkshire roads to raise money for cancer research in Pan-Mass Challenge Unpaved bike-a-thon. Survivor and Pittsfield native Jennifer Doboszynski couldn't wait to help". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  40. ^ "Pan Mass Challenge to add inaugural off-road charity ride". Associated Press. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  41. ^ "Pan-Mass Challenge goes unpaved in the Berkshires". The Berkshire Eagle. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  42. ^ McGrath, Cassie (12 November 2023). "Pan-Mass Challenge donates record-breaking $72M to Dana-Farber". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  43. ^ Hrywna, Mark (21 November 2018). "Cycling Fundraisers Set New Marks". The NonProfit Times. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  44. ^ Reyes, Max (19 October 2019). "Dana-Farber receives record $63 million donation from Pan-Mass Challenge". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  45. ^ Soroff, Jonathan (13 January 2017). "Starr Power". The Improper Bostonian. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  46. ^ Halpern, Joe (2 August 2018). "Pan-Mass Challenge primed for record run as corporate sponsors ride on". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  47. ^ "2022 Peer-to-Peer Top 30". Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum. 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
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