Len and Laura's Pan-Mass Challenge Story: A Family Affair

For more than 38 years, the Pan-Mass Challenge has been a family affair for the Bicknells – and that tradition will continue this year as Len Bicknell and Laura Bicknell-Carbone ride the PMC with Team South Shore Health once again!

Len and his wife, Dolly, started riding in the PMC in the 80s after Len’s father was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“We committed at that time to really taking it seriously and trying to raise as much money as we could and continue doing it as long as we felt we could do it,” said Len.

Laura got her first taste of what the PMC was all about when she drove her parents to the starting line in Sturbridge as a teenager. However, it was later in life that she realized what the event meant to her family.

“I picked my wedding date, and unfortunately, according to my mother, I picked the wrong date: I picked PMC weekend,” said Laura with a laugh. “I changed my wedding date…and I said after that, if it’s that important to my family, then it’s time for me to figure out what it’s all about.”

Over the years, the Bicknells have raised tens of thousands of dollars for cancer care, most recently for local programs at the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center in clinical affiliation with South Shore Health.

"A lot of our donors don't want us to stop,” said Len. “People want to support Dana-Farber, they want to cure cancer. They're happy to donate and they want us to be the vehicle. We've done it for 38 years and they're proud to be a part of our team."

We’re grateful to Len, Laura, the Bicknell and Bicknell-Carbone families, and to all of our Team South Shore Health riders for their efforts to support cancer care in our community.

Support Len's ride, Laura's ride, and the rest of Team South Shore Health.