Newton cyclists raise $2M (and counting) in 47th Pan-Mass Challenge

Newton’s 173 Pan-Mass Challenge riders have raised $2,099,685 thus far for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as part of the 47th running of the two-day charity ride on August 1-2. Across all participants, the PMC has collected $57.7 million to date this year toward its 2026 goal of $79 million, which would build on last year’s record total.

Since its founding in 1980, the event has raised more than $1.125 billion for Dana-Farber, with 100% of rider-raised funds going directly to the institute. According to figures shared by PMC founder Billy Starr, more than 6,000 riders crossed the starting line this year, coming from 44 states and eight countries and supported by more than 3,500 volunteers. Among the riders and volunteers were 1,234 Living Proof participants — cancer survivors and current patients.

Newton’s riders bring deep history to the event. Collectively, this year’s riders have contributed $36.63 million to Dana-Farber over their riding careers; 86 of the 173 have each topped $100,000 in lifetime fundraising, and five — Mike Frieze, Lee Nadler, Steven Segal, Adam Suttin, and Steven Branfman — have each raised more than $1 million.

Familiar names lead the way

Mike Frieze, Newton’s most prolific cumulative fundraiser, at $6.91 million over 44 years of riding, again leads the city’s 2026 fundraising with $72,282 so far. This year he took part through PMC Reimagined, riding a route of his own design.

Dave Grossman, Newton’s longest-serving PMC cyclist, is in his 45th year with the event. He and Steve Siegel, riding with Team Huckleberry, again began their PMC weekend at the New York border, riding what Grossman calls “a true Pan Mass, and an extra 100 miles for a cure” — a team tradition since 1997. The extra leg was slightly longer this year, 107 miles, as Worcester — whose inaugural start drew 2,653 riders — replaced Sturbridge as the ride’s western Massachusetts start; from there they continued on the two-day route to Provincetown. Grossman has raised $62,737 this year toward a $75,000 goal.

Adam Suttin and Steven Segal, both members of Newton’s million-dollar lifetime club, also completed the ride to Provincetown, setting out from Wellesley on Saturday morning.

Steven Branfman crossed the $1 million lifetime mark this year and now stands at $1.11 million over 23 years of riding. Branfman rides in memory of his son Jared, and this year also in memory of his friend, Dan Levinson (also remembered in this op-ed). Steven again completed the Worcester-to-Provincetown ride, and his $64,631 raised so far makes him Newton’s second-leading 2026 fundraiser.

Duncan Richardson, Newton’s top 2025 fundraiser, continues to raise funds while undergoing treatment for a cancer recurrence. On his fundraising page, Richardson writes that after a new chemotherapy regimen and six weeks of daily radiation, his tumor shrank enough that he qualified for surgery last November, and that whether he could ride this year would be “a game-time decision.” He has raised $37,999 so far toward a $100,000 goal and is again matching all donations, “in honor of those continuing to fight and in memory of our many friends and family for whom the battle has come to an end.”

Steve Siegel rode this year’s PMC in memory of his brother and longtime riding partner, Jon Siegel, who was featured in last year’s FCN coverage and died in February, a year after being diagnosed with glioblastoma. The brothers had ridden and raised funds for the PMC together since 1984. After Jon’s diagnosis, Siegel writes, Jon’s first question to his doctors was, “Can I still train and ride the PMC this year?” — and ride he did. Steve Siegel rode 300 miles over three days this year, from the New York state line all the way to Provincetown — the extra day, he writes, is “our version of ‘going the extra mile’ to fight cancer.” He has raised $13,451 so far this year.

Newton’s leading 2026 fundraisers so far

This year’s top Newton fundraisers so far include the residents listed below. Fundraising continues through October 1, with Newton riders seeking to raise an additional $269,534 by then to reach their combined $2.37 million in goals.

• Mike Frieze: $72,282 (44 years, $6.91 million lifetime)
• Steven Branfman: $64,631 (23 years, $1.11 million lifetime)
• Adam Suttin: $64,050 (20 years, $1.39 million lifetime)
• Dave Grossman: $62,737 (45 years, $651,618 lifetime)
• Steven Segal: $51,858 (37 years, $2.31 million lifetime)
• Joshua Levy: $49,080 (15 years, $311,383 lifetime)
• Tom Gallitano: $45,125 (9 years, $418,302 lifetime)
• Paul Gershkowitz: $44,781 (24 years, $455,460 lifetime)
• Duncan Richardson: $37,999 (13 years, $878,489 lifetime)
• Andy Sucoff: $37,732 (16 years, $322,102 lifetime)

Newton’s leading lifetime fundraisers riding this year

• Mike Frieze: $6.91 million (44 years)
• Lee Nadler: $3.33 million (27 years)
• Steven Segal: $2.31 million (37 years)
• Adam Suttin: $1.39 million (20 years)
• Steven Branfman: $1.11 million (23 years)
• Duncan Richardson: $878,489 (13 years)
• David Bunis: $712,233 (21 years)
• Dave Grossman: $651,618 (45 years)
• Robin Saitz: $535,746 (34 years)
• Alan Starr: $480,724 (35 years)

Fourteen first-year riders

Fourteen Newton residents registered for their first PMC this year: C. Mark Vasu, Erik Hajer, James Candido, Bianca Hajer, Bruno Bockorny, Jessica Zerillo, Kayla Prior, Brenda Walkey, Thomas Noonan, Stephen Linderman, Cassandra Harris, Benjamin Kwass, Dennis Hickey, Milinda Carson. C. Mark Vasu leads the rookie class, with $21,515 raised in his first year — a total that already places him among Newton’s top 25 fundraisers for 2026. The class also includes a father and daughter from Waban, Erik Hajer and Bianca Hajer, who signed up to ride together in memory of Erik’s father, who died of pancreatic cancer in December. Their fundraising, Erik writes on his profile page, “will be directed to pancreatic cancer research.”

How to support Newton’s riders

All dollar figures above are as of August 6, 2026; fundraising for the 2026 ride continues through October 1. To help Newton’s riders reach their collective $2.37 million in goals, follow these links: Ilana Amrani-Cohen, Eman Ansari, David Aronoff, Frank Aronson, Jane Avers, Karen Axelrod, Jess Baccari, Laurence Bailen, Joel Bard, Benjamin Bates, Gary Belowich, Barry Benjamin, David Berg, Michael Berger, Rachelle Bernacki, Piotr Bielecki, David Blume, Bruno Bockorny, Amelia Bowman, Joshua Bowman, Ellen Branfman, Steven Branfman, Archer Brayley, Douglas Brayley, Bruce Brumberg, David Bunis, Krista Busnach, Michael Busnach, Jeffrey Bussgang, James Candido, Mike Cantor, Milinda Carson, Jesse Chebot, Francesca Chinitz, Mike Chinitz, Ates Civitci, Marc Cohen, Ellen Cohen-Kaplan, Doug Cornelius, Marc Decker, Portia Durbin, Nina Eigerman, Barb Epstein, Mike Epstein, Phil Evans, Sue Farrell, Joel Feinberg, Ridgely Ficks, Charles Fievet, Erica Fine, Joshua Fine, Mark Fitzpatrick, Mike Frieze, Tom Gallitano, Thomas Garnitz, Paul Gershkowitz, Brian Ghoshhajra, Wolfram Goessling, Jonathan Gordon, Greg Grobstein, Dave Grossman, Marc Gundersheim, Barbara Gutman, Bianca Hajer, Erik Hajer, David Harlow, Cassandra Harris, Ira Hart, Douglas Haslam, Spencer Haught, Dennis Hickey, Deb Hicks, Jim Hirsch, Zoe Hirsch, Philip Hirshberg, Steven Holstein, Matt Horvitz, Adam Howes, John Ingram, Michael Johnstone, Bill Joyce, Todd Kamens, Barnet Kessel, Christine Klaehn, Benjamin Kwass, Bruce Landon, Ronald Lanoue, Cameron Lawson, Bernie Lebow, Peter Lefkowitz, Alexandra Levy, David Levy, Joshua Levy, Stephen Linderman, Frank Litwin, Ronald Lubin, Matthew Manke, Ted Marple, Sonya Marquez, Sean McDonald, Jennie McGarry, Matthew McGuiness, Michael McKee, Daniel Mekler, Beth Morahan, Jake Morrissey, Jeremy Munn, Noa Munn, Ann Murray, Eric Nadel, Lee Nadler, Thomas Noonan, Adam Nussenbaum, Barbara Oppenheimer, Matthew Oser, David Paresky, Alan Paret, Riley McGarry Partridge, David Pemstein, Alex Peselman, Jack Prior, Kayla Prior, Benji Raby, Karen Rednor, Robert Reisch, Duncan Richardson, Rachel Rock, Pam Rosenberg, Michele Rosenthal, Christopher Ryan, Helle Sachse, Robin Saitz, Paul Samson, Brian Schoenbeck, Lisa Schwartz, Ellen Segal, Steven Segal, Steve Siegel, Michael Silverstein, Katelyn Skeels, Barry Slosberg, Stephen Smith, Ethan Solomon, Dave Southiere, John Speyer, Roger Spingarn, Alan Starr, Laurie Starr, Denise Staubach, Peter Staubach, Russell Stein, Andy Sucoff, Adam Suttin, Jennifer Timmins, Scott Timmins, Timothy Tobin, Chu Underwood, C. Mark Vasu, Brenda Walkey, Jacob Weinberg, Scott Weiss, Andrew Welch, Jeffrey West, Alex Whiting, Jackie Wilkins, Loie Williams, Michael Wolfson, Wenxin Xu, Phillip Yacouby, Jeff Zabel, Jonathan Zaff, Joyce Zakim, Jessica Zerillo.

Ed. Note: The author completed his fourth Pan-Mass Challenge ride this weekend.