More than 1,000 CancerCare friends and supporters came together to take part in the 13th Annual CancerCare Lung Cancer Walk for Hope, held at The Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course in Woodbury earlier this month.
The event raised more than $175,000 in support of CancerCare’s Lung Cancer Support Program, the only ongoing program on Long Island providing free counseling to patients, loved ones and caregivers affected by lung cancer.
CancerCare’s director of social services for the Long Island office,Win Boerckel, welcomed the enthusiastic crowd and introduced students from Syosset’s Our Lady of Mercy Academy who sang the national anthem. Our Lady of Mercy Academy has been an important supporter and has donated proceeds from its annual 5k Tower Run in memory of beloved health teacher M.J. Lorello.
“Life does not end, it just changes form,” said Boerckel. “This annual Lung Cancer Walk for Hope is a time to pay tribute to our survivors and all who have cared for them, as well as those who are struggling with the disease and its lasting implications.”
Joined on stage by Town Clerk Jim Altadonna and Councilman Joe Pinto, Boerckel acknowledged the vital support of the Town of Oyster Bay, including that of Supervisor John Venditto. Boerckel presented the top individual and team fundraising awards to CancerCare volunteer Phyllis Sobel of Woodbury, whose team “Will to Survive” raised more than $21,000 toward sustaining the Lung Cancer Support Program.
Sobel, herself a two-time lung cancer survivor, was presented with a memorial plaque honoring the memory of her son, Jonathan Sobel. It was announced that in honor of his commitment to the Lung Cancer Walk for Hope, future awards for top fundraisers will be named after him to commemorate the indelible mark he has left on the event and those who will benefit from the services he so strongly advocated.
Bethpage resident and co-owner of Hicksville’s Ultimate Gym, Mat DeSanno, led the excited crowd in a warm-up. Through events at the gym and other outreach to family, friends and colleagues, DeSanno’s team, “Team Debbie,” named in honor of his mom who passed away from lung cancer, has supported CancerCare’s mission since 2010.
The organization also acknowledged Joann Centrone of Massapequa and Diana Gerhardt of East Rockaway, who are the spirit behind “Ices for Andrea,” named in honor of their beloved mother who passed away from breast cancer and “Ralph’s Cancer Killers” headed by captain Ralph Gagliano of Lynbrook. The two teams rounded out the top five supporters for this year’s event.
To learn more about this year’s Lung Cancer Walk for Hope or make a donation in support of the Lung Cancer Support Program, visit www.cancercare.org/lungcancerwalk.
