My father received a last-resort experimental bone marrow transplant in 1986 at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Together we rode the Pan-Mass Challenge throughout the 90s in celebration of his miraculous treatment. He passed away just 3 years ago after the DFCI gifted him 35 additional incredible years of life. He was living proof. A story of bravery, brilliant science, and a remarkable institution. Now I return to ride the PMC again in his honor, and in deep gratitude to the DFCI and his oncologist Dr. Nadler. Thank you for your support! Read about this incredible story below...

In 1986, I was a senior in high school, the same year my father, Larry Levin, received an autologous bone marrow transplant at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) for a high-grade advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The moment of his transplant changed my life. I'll never forget the conversation with his oncologist, Dr. Lee Nadler, when he told us his chance for cure was slim, but they are taking the courageous and experimental step to do a bone marrow transplant along with full body radiation and chemotherapy. I was 17, and I learned for the first time how to put on sterile gloves and gown so I could visit him in a negative air pressure room at the 11th floor of the DFCI. He fought and survived his transplant and came home to start to rebuild his health and life.

Five tenuous years later, Dr. Nadler challenged him to ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). He vivaciously accepted the challenge and rode his first PMC in 1991. At that point, he saw the event as a literal lifeline. He had always had a passion for biking, and just prior to his diagnosis had actually completed a bike ride across Massachussets (BAM). Biking had been ingrained in his life, integral to his sense of happiness and feeling healthy. Now his oncologist led him to a goal of riding the PMC each year, which translated directly into his goal of living and celebrating. The PMC meant hope. The PMC meant life.

The PMC is an annual cycling event started passionately in 1980 by Billy Starr, and is remarkably now the single largest contributor to the Dana-Farber - raising money for cancer research, revolutionary science, and compassionate clinical care to save lives of cancer patients. Each August, thousands of cyclists and volunteers come together for this 2-day, 200-mile bike ride from western Massachusets to the tip of Cape Cod. My dad subsequently rode in more than 10 additional PMCs in the 1990s, alongside my mother, becoming an annual epic family event and amazing avenue for him to give back to the Dana- Farber. He was a very proud Living Proof that cures for cancer are being researched and developed at the DFCI every day.

I rode my first PMC by my dad's side in 1991, and joined him for several additional PMC rides throughout the 90s. Each one was thrilling and full of smiles and gratitude for the life DFCI gave him. In 2000, my dad gave the PMC baton to Dr. Nadler who has to this day been faithfully riding every PMC. This created an extraordinary linkage. The PMC represents a chain of life for our family - an event of hope and gratitude, of celebration and dedication, of connection with a life-saving treatment. Biking brings the sense of freedom and hope, the comraderie, and the link our lives have forever with Dr. Nadler and the DFCI since that day in 1986 when he decided to courageously accept him into an experimental bone marrow treatment that saved his life.

My father passed away 3 years ago at the age of 83. He had an unbelievable 35 additional years of life after his bone marrow transplant, and every day was a blessing and gratitude. His joie de vivre combined with his courageous and brilliant oncologist, and all the research clinicians and staff at the DFCI, came together to make this incredible difference. My mother's unyielding optimism and strength continuously by his side was critical. Inspired by Dr. Nadler and by my experience as a high school student with my father's illness, I was motivated and went on to medical school, and today have been practicing Emergency Medicine for the past 20 years.

In 2022 I returned after my dad's passing to ride the sacred PMC in his honor, This year will be my third PMC since then. It is now 33 years since my first PMC in 1991, and every second of this ride has been incredible and familiar. Tears mixed with smiles, sweat mixed with grit, new and old friends with heartfelt deep connections, the sincerity, the stories, the support and momentum of this event touches my soul.

With the greatest gratitude to all of you who supported me last year in this bike ride across Massachusetts - I return again this year.

I return this year to proudly ride the PMC again in honor and memory of my father. His smile, his humor, his support, and his gift of being able to be there in my life. Just as importanly, I ride to honor and thank brilliant Dr. Nadler, who to this day remains strongly connected to our family. Dr. Nadler will remarkably ride his 25th PMC this year since he took the baton from my dad in 2000, creating an unbroken chain linking the years. I will ride to thank the Dana Farber. I will ride to celebrate that I support continued cancer research, having experienced my father's living proof. I will ride to build hope and share my story. I will ride the PMC again remembering in 1991 when I sat on my bike at the start of my first PMC in Sturbridge, MA, smiling next to my dad with hope.

Thank you deeply for any and all support you feel you can give to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Donate on this page above to give support under my name Kimberly Levin (or rider ID KL0317). Remarkably, 100% of donations go toward cancer research - research that literally can cure and save lives, as I have seen first hand.

Thank you from my heart,

Kim