Four Lexington residents rode the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) on Aug. 1–2, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Each pedaled to honor family members lost to cancer.

Marvin Getman, Sharon Kamowitz, Jim Cavallo and Laura Andriolo were among 58 Lexington cyclists who joined the annual bike-a-thon, the Lexington Times reported. The PMC drew nearly 6,500 riders statewide in its 47th year, aiming for a record $79 million for Dana-Farber, according to a PMC press release. Since 1980, the event has raised more than $1.125 billion.

Getman and Kamowitz, who are married, have ridden together for 14 years as Team Sunshine. The two-person team has raised $278,000 since 2013. Both lost previous spouses to cancer. Getman's late wife, Carol, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1979 and died in May 1990. Kamowitz's late husband, David, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in July 1987. While being treated at Dana-Farber that August, David saw a news story about the PMC and vowed to ride someday. He died in September 1989 from complications of a bone marrow transplant.

"After years of contributing to other people's rides, and learning of other family members' diagnoses, we decided to get on our bikes and ride the PMC," Getman told the Lexington Times.

Getman's daughter, Emily, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the fall of 2020 after inheriting the BRCA gene from her mother. The cancer recurred in 2023, and she completed a second round of chemotherapy and joined a clinical study. She lives an active life with her husband and twin boys while working full-time.

Getman and Kamowitz rode the 85-mile route from Wellesley to Bourne on Saturday, Aug. 1.

Cavallo, a 28-year Lexington resident, rode the PMC for the ninth year to honor his son Nate, who died of cancer in December 2015. Nate was 11. He came inside one Saturday night in June after playing outdoors and coughed up blood. Within days, doctors at Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber were discussing removing a large tumor in his lung. His cancer most closely resembled Ewing sarcoma. Nate underwent aggressive treatment for three and a half years before he died. He loved large family holidays, exploring nature, his dog Toby, writing poetry, skateboarding and '80s music.

Cavallo rode the two-day, 162-mile route from Wellesley to Provincetown with his wife Nicole, daughter Alexis, son Bennett, nephew Alex and friends. The team's fundraising goal is $75,000.

Andriolo, a 34-year Lexington resident, rode the PMC for the sixth year as part of Team Crank, a 61-rider squad based in Acton. Last year, Team Crank presented a check to Dana-Farber for $1.5 million and received a matching gift from the Warren Alpert Foundation. Andriolo rode the Wellesley 50-mile loop on Aug. 1, with an individual fundraising goal of $10,000.

One hundred percent of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber, with corporate sponsors covering operating costs.

Donations to the four Lexington riders remain open until Thursday, Oct. 1.