With its largest gift ever, the world’s most successful athletic fundraiser continues to shatter fundraising records at a time when cancer research needs support most

BOSTON, Nov. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a bike-a-thon which has raised more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the world, today presented a record-breaking $80 million gift to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the nation’s top three cancer hospitals. Presented at a celebratory brunch at Rochambeau in Boston, this gift brings the PMC’s total contribution to Dana-Farber’s mission to more than $1.2 billion.

For the 20th consecutive year, 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber. Powered by thousands of riders and volunteers from across the world, every dollar raised helps fuel groundbreaking cancer research, lifesaving treatments, and patient care.

“$80 million isn’t just a number. It represents the next clinical trial, the next breakthrough, the next life saved, and the next patient who gets to ring the bell at the end of treatment,” said Billy Starr, PMC founder and chairman. “Now, more than ever, our riders, volunteers, donors, and corporate partners understood exactly what was at stake. They didn’t just meet the moment, they rode right past it. I’ve never been prouder of this community, and I’ve never been more confident that the cures we ride for are within reach.”

The record-breaking gift arrives at a pivotal moment in the nation. While federal research support and grant approval rates are shrinking, cancer rates continue to climb, with more than 20 million new cancer cases projected worldwide in 2026 alone. The PMC’s sustained giving is one of the most essential forces keeping transformative research at Dana-Farber moving forward.

“We are immensely grateful for the PMC’s longstanding support of Dana-Farber,” said Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and PMC rider. “This unprecedented gift is an important milestone and will be used to shape the future of cancer care and research at Dana-Farber. I am honored to be one of thousands of committed PMC riders and volunteers who have played a role in making a big impact.”

The PMC is Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor, accounting for 67 percent of revenue for the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber’s community fundraising arm. But the most significant measure of the PMC’s funding is found in the discoveries that bring new hope to patients and families facing cancer. PMC support helped drive some of Dana-Farber’s most significant recent breakthroughs, including the discovery of menin inhibitors, the improvement of multi-cancer early detection, and the development of new types of cell therapies such as CAR-T cell therapy and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy.

The unprecedented gift reflects a full year of riding and fundraising. In addition to the flagship PMC weekend, crucial funding was supported by the PMC’s further spokes in the wheel, including PMC Winter Cycle, an indoor spin event at Fenway Park; PMC Unpaved, a gravel bike ride; and PMC Kids Rides, mini bike-a-thons for children ages 2 to 15.

The PMC is co-presented by the Red Sox Foundation® and M&T Bank. To learn more, get involved, or donate, visit www.pmc.org.

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. Founded in 1980 by Billy Starr – who remains the event’s founder & chairman, an annual cyclist, and a fundraiser – the PMC has raised $1.2 billion for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. As Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor, the organization generates 67 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue. 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to fueling cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber. In addition to its two-day bike-a-thon across Massachusetts, the PMC is powered by further “spokes in the wheel,” with initiatives including the PMC Winter Cycle, an indoor spin event, PMC Unpaved, a gravel bike ride, and PMC Kids Rides, mini bike-a-thons for children ages 2 to 15. The PMC attracts riders and volunteers from 44 states and eight countries and over 300,000 individual donors. Across events, the PMC has successfully melded support from committed cyclists, volunteers, corporate sponsors, and individual donors, all of whom are essential to the PMC’s goal and model: to attain maximum fundraising efficiency while increasing its annual gift. The PMC’s aspiration is to provide Dana-Farber’s doctors and researchers with the necessary resources to discover cures for all cancers. For more information, visit www.pmc.org.

About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a global leader in cancer research and care, with a mission to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific discovery, clinical excellence, education, community engagement and advocacy. Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance of cancer research and care, offering more than 1,200 clinical trials and translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world. U.S. News & World Report recognized Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center as the Best Hospital for Cancer in Massachusetts and number three in the nation, and Dana-Farber Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center as the Best Children’s Hospital for Cancer in the country, making Dana-Farber the only hospital in the country among the top three for both adult and pediatric cancer care. It is a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

About the Jimmy Fund
The Jimmy Fund is comprised of community-based fundraising events and other programs that, solely and directly, benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission to provide compassionate patient care and groundbreaking cancer research for children and adults. Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped the Jimmy Fund save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide.

The Jimmy Fund is proud of its longstanding partnerships with the Boston Red Sox and the Red Sox Foundation, the Boston Athletic Association, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Pan-Mass Challenge, and Variety Children’s Charity of New England, which was instrumental in the Jimmy Fund’s founding. Follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X: @TheJimmyFund

Contacts

Jenna Lehan, on behalf of the PMC
Jenna@hollywoodagency.com

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SOURCE Pan-Mass Challenge