Fall 2026
By Hannah White Hannah
Photography by Pan-Mass Challenge
Among the earliest supporters of the Lavine Bekenstein Cancer Hospital at Dana-Farber, Andrew “AJ” Janower and Cindy Janower recently committed $2.5 million through the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) to support construction of the facility—an investment in the future of patient-centered cancer care shaped by their family’s decades-long connection to Dana-Farber and the PMC community.
The family’s relationship with Dana-Farber began more than two decades ago, when their daughter, Samantha “Sammi,” was diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor at age 3 and began treatment at Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic. After Sammi’s diagnosis, the family wanted to find a meaningful way to support research while involving everyone in the effort. That search ultimately led them to the PMC, where the Janowers have become longtime riders and fundraisers, helping advance research that contributed to the development and FDA approval of a new targeted therapy for pediatric low-grade gliomas.
For AJ, a Dana-Farber Governing Trustee and 18-year PMC rider, making an early capital commitment to the Lavine Bekenstein Cancer Hospital represented a chance to help shape cancer care for generations to come. “It’s a generational opportunity,” he said. “This is a big and complicated project, and early support helps provide momentum and stability so leadership can do this right.”
The family’s decision to support the project reflects what has stood out most to them throughout their experience with Dana-Farber: a deep commitment to both scientific excellence and total patient care. “Dana-Farber really cares for the whole patient,” AJ said. “They’re not just treating cancer.”
Cindy recalled being struck by the compassion shown in even the smallest interactions. “The attendants in the parking lot were so warm and supportive I wanted to bake them cookies—and I don’t even bake cookies,” she said with a laugh.
That sense of humanity, the Janowers emphasized, is part of what makes Dana-Farber exceptional. Alongside world-class research and treatment, the new facility will support Dana-Farber’s vision for fully integrated, patient-centered cancer care.
Their longstanding and ongoing connection to the PMC has only deepened that belief over the years. AJ describes the annual bike ride as fundamentally different from many other athletic events—less about competition and more about community. “The PMC is different because everyone there has a story to tell,” he said. “Cancer has touched them or their family in a profound way. People are there to support each other.” That shared sense of purpose is what keeps AJ returning year after year. “You keep pedaling because of the people around you,” he said.
The experience has also been transformative for Sammi, who first participated in the PMC at age 15. Initially overwhelmed by the event, she found confidence, strength, and support through riding alongside her family and the broader PMC community. “The PMC changed how I saw myself,” Sammi said. “It made me feel physically strong and capable, reframing my sense of self after a childhood where I often felt weak and frail.”
Today, the family hopes others will see the PMC not only as a fundraising event, but also as a meaningful way to support the future of cancer care at Dana-Farber, including the new hospital. “Anyone can ride,” AJ said. “When people ask how they can help, one answer is: come ride with us.”
For AJ and Cindy, supporting Dana-Farber’s future cancer hospital through philanthropy and the PMC ultimately comes back to helping ensure future patients and families experience the same level of compassionate, specialized cancer care that has meant so much to their own family.