HYANNIS – The Pan-Mass Challenge has announced that it raised a record-breaking $64 million to donate to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and its Jimmy Fund.
The donation, well above the PMC’s forecasted amount, will go towards adult and pediatric cancer treatment as well as jumpstart new research through grants.
Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the PMC has raised more than $114 million for Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund.
Founder and Executive Director of the PMC Billy Starr said the year was like no other in terms of attempting to forecast the donation, due to the pandemic.
“We not only raised a record amount, but we raised it with a thousand less people participating as fundraisers or riders. It was stunning, truly stunning,” said Starr.
Starr attributed the success to the PMC’s ability to pivot due to COVID, including the addition of several new routes and ways to participate on the weekend.
With fewer participants but a larger donation, Starr said that every participant raised 10 to 30 percent more money this year than the previous.
“We had record highs in what people average. That’s wonderful. Will it continue? We’ll see.”
He added that the organization is already planning for its next iteration, one that they hope will look more traditional and social with the rollout of vaccines, which will be mandated for participants.
More information on the PMC can be found on their website here.