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Pan-Mass Challenge Partners With WBZ-TV

BOSTON (CBS) - WBZ-TV, sister-station myTV38 (WSBK-TV), and CBSBoston.com will join the Pan-Mass Challenge, the largest single athletic fundraiser in the country, as its official media partner, starting in 2014.

The Pan-Mass challenge brings New Englanders together for the first weekend of August every year, as spectators watch thousands of bikers go the distance to fight cancer.

There are six two-day routes that range from 153 to 190 miles and five one-day rides that range from 25 to 110 miles.

Cyclists are required to raise between $500 and $5,000 to ride in the PMC, depending on the chosen route.

Billy Starr, the PMC Founder and Executive Director, said that the race demonstrates how capable people can be when they work together for a cause.

"We've seen tremendous progress in cancer research," Starr told WBZ-TV.

"As always, our goal is to increase ridership as well as donors, thus raising more money for adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) through the Jimmy Fund."

All of the proceeds that cyclists raise are donated straight to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

This year, the Pan-Mass Challenge raised $39 million.

"[The race] represents the hope of almost a quarter of a million people," Starr said. "We just came off of a record year and now we're pledging a new record goal of $40 million."

Starr said he believes this new partnership will help the Pan-Mass Challenge in exceeding their goal.

Since the PMC's inception in 1980, the event has raised $414 million.

For more information about the PMC, visit pmc.org.

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