Boston-based Bike-a-thon raises $23m for charity

The $23m represents 99 cents of every rider-raised dollar.

Raised by nearly 4000 cyclists who rode up to 192 miles in the 26th annual PMC in August.

Earlier this month, PMC Founder and executive director Billy Starr presented the check to Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz, Jr., M.D. at the Harvard Medical School Convention Center during a ceremony attended by hundreds of PMC cyclists, volunteers, and supporters.

Starr attributes the exceptional fundraising achievement to organizational factors that include the PMC’s business model and its unique culture in which the fostered competition is not for cycling speed but for the sum each rider raises for cancer research.

“PMCers are driven to raise money for cancer research and take pride in the progress made at Dana-Farber as a result of their efforts,” Starr said.

Since its 1980 inception, the Pan-Mass Challenge has raised and contributed more than $145m to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

Benz Jr., president of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said: “When they write the history of how cancer was conquered, the PMC will be in chapter one.”

The next PMC is scheduled for August 5th and 6th, 2006.

http://www.pmc.org