TEAM LUNGSTRONG RAISES FUNDS FOR LUNG CANCER RESEARCH IN THE “PAN-MASS CHALLENGED REIMAGINED”
The Pan-Mass Challenge is a bike-a-thon that raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraiser in the country. Billy Starr, who founded the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) in 1980 to raise money for cancer research, was unable to hold the massive fundraising event due to COVID19. Typically, the Pan-Mass Challenge involves 6,000 cyclists riding one of several routes through Massachusetts – the most well-known route running from Sturbridge to Provincetown – during the first weekend in August.This year Starr did away with fundraising minimums and asked participants to “reimagine” their ride by designing their own rides but still committing to raising funds for Dana Farber Cancer Institute.Team LUNGSTRONG, founded by 15-year lung cancer survivor Diane Legg, raises money for innovative lung cancer research. CNA Stores founder Rob DiFazio is one of 116 LUNGSTRONG team members, and he and several teammates chose to ride together on Friday, Aug. 7 and Saturday, Aug. 8
th, starting in Amesbury and riding the Seacoast to Fort Foster in York, ME on Day 1 and around the Newburyport-Byfield-Exeter, NH area on Day 2.“Although the PMC looked and felt different for us this year, we were all motivated to ride in memory of loved ones who have lost their battle with cancer, and for those still fighting their battle,” said DiFazio. “This year Team LUNGSTRONG has raised over $300,000 for lung cancer research and 100% of these funds go to Dana Farber Cancer Institute – they help fund the clinical trials that are extending the lives of lung cancer patients everywhere.”For more information about the Pan-Mass Challenge, visit
www.pmc.org. For more information about LUNGSTRONG, visit
www.lungstrong.org.