2025 Pan-Mass Challenge Fundraising Message

Dear Friends,

In 1980, Billy Starr and 36 friends rode from Boston to Provincetown to raise money for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That first Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) has grown into something truly extraordinary. Now, 45 years later, Billy and some of those original riders are still at it—joined by 6,500 cyclists and 3,000 volunteers, all united by a shared mission: to fight cancer.

This year’s ride takes place August 2–3, rain or shine. It will be my 13th year riding, and I’m once again proud to be part of Pedals 4 Pediatrics—a team I joined when I rode my first PMC with my daughter Samantha, then a pediatric oncology nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital. Today, Sam continues her incredible work as a nurse practitioner in pediatric oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

I now ride with my sons—Benjamin (year 9) and Jason (year 3). Sharing this experience with both of them is one of the greatest joys of my life. I couldn’t be prouder of my family.

This year is special. I am included in a huge group of riders called Living Proof. This is a special group of riders who have or had any type of cancer diagnosis. I am one of the lucky members who has been successfully treated for prostate cancer this past year. I know firsthand why Dana Farber is one of the top cancer treatment hospitals in the world and why donating is so important.

One of the most extraordinary facts about the PMC is this:
100% of every dollar raised by riders goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
That’s not a slogan, it’s a promise. Every donation provides world-class care and groundbreaking research that is changing and saving lives every day.

Our family’s fundraising goal this year is $30,000. If you’re able to help us reach it, we would be so grateful. Every donation—no matter the amount—goes straight to the people and programs that need it most.

Thank you, sincerely, for your continued support. It means the world to me and to all of us riding.

With heartfelt thanks,
Stewart