In 1986 my father received an experimental bone marrow transplant at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for a terminal aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He loved cycling, and remarkably had asked for a sterilized stationary bike to be placed in his hospital room to pedal his way back to life. Five years later in 1991, we first rode the Pan-Mass Challenge together in celebration of his miraculous treatment, and he continued to ride throughout the 90s as living proof. As each day passed, we never knew how long he would live. Miraculously, the DFCI gifted him 35 additional incredible years of life, passing away only 4 years ago. He truly 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 so much for your support!

Read more 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. 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 then at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. I gave platelets weekly at the DFCI bloodbank. I was curious and learned about the medicine from Dr. Nadler. I visited his lab. My dad fought for 6 weeks in that hospital room, and survived his transplant, and came home to start to rebuild his health and life, day-by-day.

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. A stationary bike in his hospital room was his lifeline. The PMC then 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.

In 2000, in an extraordinary hand-off after riding the PMC for a decade, my dad gave the PMC baton to Dr. Nadler, who has to this day been faithfully riding. This created an remarkable 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 Dr. Nadler took the courageous step to accept him into an experimental bone marrow treatment.

My father passed away 4 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 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 my experience as a teenager with the DFCI, I went on to become a physician, and have been practicing Emergency Medicine for the past 20 years.

It is now 34 years since my first PMC in 1991 riding smiling next to my dad, and I'm back now riding in his honor since he passed away 4 years ago. 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 deep in my soul. I ride with a photo of him on my jersey and know he is with me.

My dad was literally living proof of Translational Medicine - applying bench science research to clinical practice to treat patients in innovative, and life-saving ways. In our new political environment, translational research and medicine needs all the support it can get to continue discovering new treatments and saving lives.

The remarkable story continues - in February of this year, the first Levin/Nadler PMC Award was presented at the Medical Oncology Department meeting! It is an annual award, gifted by our family, that is given to a rising physician-scientist doing groundbreaking research in translational medicine to cure lives. This year it was awarded to Dr. Andrew Aguirre who is co-Director of the newly opened Center for RAS Therapeutics at the DFCI - his work focuses on discovering a cure for pancreatic cancer. The award is linked to the Pan Mass Challenge, thanking Billy Starr and team for his incredible work building the PMC to what it is today.

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 will ride to build hope and share my story.

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 cures and saves lives, as I have seen first hand. The Dana-Farber needs your support now more than ever.

Thank you from my heart,

Kim