The PanMass Challenge is the nation’s original fundraising bike-a-thon and today raises more money than any other athletic fundraising event in the country.

It is also the most cost efficient. Through the 1990s, the PMC contributed between 92 to 99 cents of rider-raised dollar. This year’s 100 % pass-through rate is nearly unparalleled in the $1.5 billion athletic fundraising event industry. The PMC has contributed more than $200 million to lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since its founding in 1980. And it is fun! The PMC has a 71.5 percent rider retention rate, with cyclists coming from 36 states and 10 countries.

TeamBrent has partnered with Dr.Lisa Diller to open a much needed program to treat relapsed neuroblastoma patients at DFCI. In 2007, 34 TeamBrent riders rode 192 miles through 46 Massachusetts towns and 100% of every dollar they raised went directly towards this program. Thanks in large part to TeamBrent's efforts, the Dana Farber/Boston Children's Hospital broke ground in September of 2007 on this needed targeted MIBG/radiotherapy facility. This therapy delivers radioactivity directly to the neuroblastoma cells. While this will begin as treatment for relapsed neuroblastoma, there are applications being studied to include it as part of the upfront treatment, to both increase effectiveness and reduce long term side effects for the patients. This year's money will fund: more equipment (eg, a dose meter); amenities (toys, etc) for the room; and help staff the program. Research nurses, data manager, nuclear medicine techs all work to make this happen and their salaries are partly covered by donor funds.

In 2005, 9 TB riders raised $135k.
In 2006, 25 riders raised $267k.
In 2007, 34 riders raised $315k. Simply amazing.
In 2008, 42 riders will raise ????

9/17/07

To: TeamBrent
From: Lisa Diller, MD, chief medical officer of Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Care and the clinical director of pediatric oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston where Brent received his treatment.

Re: Making a Difference

"On behalf of the neuroblastoma team of doctors, nurses, researchers, and most importantly, parents and families facing this childhood cancer, I am writing to thank you for being a part of an incredible Pan Mass Challenge ride this year.

When I wrote to you last year we were beginning the plans for a specialized facility in our inpatient unit, which would allow us to deliver a cutting edge new treatment. The treatment is called MIBG therapy and shows increasing promise for this devastating disease. MIBG allows us to "target" neuroblastoma cells with radiation. I am pleased to announce that we "broke ground" this week on the new MIBG facility. Although we will begin to treat a small group of patients, we will need to hire specialized a specialized research nurse and experts in radiation safety, as well as purchase equipment for the room in order to utilize this new facility fully.

The addition of this new facility will allow us to provide new effective treatments to patients and to continue to develop approaches using targeted radiotherapy. This facility would not have been possible without your tremendous fundraising efforts and through your hard work riding in the PMC. I want to thank you for your continued support and for helping us to move that much closer to beating this disease."

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A Man and His Bike Newsweek Story

Walk in the Woods Leads to Nation's Most Successful Bike-a-Thon

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Note from Billy Starr
Founder and Executive Director, The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge:
"Team Brent typifies how effective a motivated constituency can be when they work together toward a common goal. The team is a fundraising force that has galvanized a township in Connecticut and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight neuroblastoma cancer through the PMC."

Note from Roger Haney
Logistics Manager, TeamBrentWheels:
"Being a part of TeamBrentWheels and the PMC is nothing short of amazing. The team is much more than just a group of folks coming together to fight a horrible disease – it has grown into a Big Family that rides hard, laughs harder, and sheds a tear or two. I will always look forward to the first weekend in August; you can find me in Ben's Suburban chasing after a family of Super B’s."