Cancer isn't taking a break. Neither are we.
I have several major causes where I give back my time, money, and other resources: 1) cancer research/treatment 2) children's education 3) diversity and inclusion 4) support of veterans and 5) the environment.
The anchor point for the first cause has been the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), an annual bike-a-thon with several other related events throughout the year (e.g., Kid’s PMC, Winter Cycle) that raise more money for charity than any other event in the U.S.
About the PMC
What began as a grassroots effort, when founder Billy Starr and 35 of his friends rode across Massachusetts and raised $10,200 for cancer research in 1980, is now the single most successful athletic fundraising event in the world, shattering fundraising goals year after year, contributing almost $1B to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the world’s leading centers of cancer research and treatment.
Starr is widely recognized as a pioneer of the $5 billion athletic fundraising industry, having consulted on similar events around the country. The PMC has also earned accolades for its effective fundraising tactics, such as encouraging riders to take advantage of Fidelity Donor Advised Funds, engaging with Facebook to pilot a new peer-to-peer Fundraising API and cultivating strategic partnerships that allow organizers to maintain an impressive 100 percent pass-through rate.
The last point is important: 100 percent of rider-raised dollars are donated, which is the exception rather than the rule in the non-profit fund-raising world. That money is going to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund for cancer research and treatment. Since 1980, the PMC has contributed almost $767 million, and today, the annual PMC donation accounts for a significant portion of the Dana-Farber's operating budget. The PMC has funded dozens of life-improving and life-saving therapies, including the necessary PMC resources to:
- Play a leadership role in the development of 41 percent of cancer drugs recently approved by the U.S. FDA
- Uncover new techniques for targeting cancer-causing mutations through precision medicine
- Successfully identify biomarkers in melanoma that allow for personalized immunotherapy treatments
The PMC has been a passion of mine and my wife Jen's since our first ride in 2003. Since that time, Jen, our daughter Sydney, and I - in addition to other family members - have become increasingly involved.
As a family we ride, train, volunteer, donate, and share all things PMC. Moreover, Jen is now co-leads the Command Center at Maritime in Bourne, leading critical logistics, medical, rider support activities (that's in addition to her two non-profit board positions and her day-job as a banking exec and the world's #1 Mom!)
What you can do to help
I appreciate that economic upheaval has impacted everyone differently. If you can give, please support the PMC’s mission. Visit my page http://www.pmc.org/egifts/EB0063 to make a tax-free donation that *all* goes to the Dana-Farber.
If you already donated via Jen's account: Thank you! It all goes into the same team donation pool.
(You can also donate via check: Make your check out to PMC, The Jimmy Fund, or DFCI and mail it to me at 16 Douglas Ave., Hull, MA 02045)
And if you can’t give this year, please consider supporting the organization in other ways (and consider getting involved as a rider or volunteer next year - contact me if you’d like to learn more).
We need the PMC more than ever, yes to battle cancer, but also to nurture the community we have built. Let's demonstrate what people of common cause can do-with body, heart, and soul to sustain the fight against cancer.
Thank you for bringing us closer by the mile to a world without cancer.
With gratitude,
Erik and Jen
