26th Annual Lustgarten Foundation Long Island Walk Inspires Community and Raises Nearly $850,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Research
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Lustgarten’s flagship Walk presented by Northwell Health Cancer Institute draws over 2,000 supporters & raises nearly $850,000 and counting in support of pancreatic cancer research
Media Coverage
Pre-Event
- CBS News New York – Feature with Pejman Radkani, MD, Northwell Health’s Eastern Regional Director of Surgical Oncology and Chief of Surgical Oncology at Huntington Hospital, and his patient Thomas DeSantis, pancreatic cancer survivor
- CBS News New York — Chris Wragge interview with Linda Tantawi, Lustgarten Foundation CEO
- Newsday — Story featuring Lynn Cetin, Leader of Team ProHEALTH Pediatrics and Woodbury pediatrician, featuring Linda Tantawi and Andrew Rakeman, PhD, Lustgarten Foundation VP of Research
Day of
JONES BEACH, N.Y., Oct 07, 2026 – Long Island residents touched by pancreatic cancer gathered for a morning of hope, remembrance, and action at the 26th annual Lustgarten Foundation Long Island Walk for Pancreatic Cancer Research at Jones Beach State Park, presented by Northwell Cancer Institute. The flagship Walk has raised nearly $22 million since 2000, 100% of which has gone directly to funding cutting-edge pancreatic cancer research.
“We believe community is power,” said Linda Tantawi, CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation. “Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease, but no one faces it alone. Our community unites patients, survivors, families, researchers, healthcare providers, and supporters with a shared purpose. We walk to remember those lost, honor those facing this disease, and power the research that is changing what’s possible for patients. Together, we are moving closer to our mission of transforming pancreatic cancer into a curable disease.”
Three-time Emmy Award-winning reporter for CBS News New York John Dias emceed the event, bringing inspiration and positive energy to all in attendance. Lustgarten Foundation Chief Scientist and Director of the Cancer Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, David Tuveson, MD, PhD, delivered opening remarks, emphasizing the power of collaboration and the momentum building in pancreatic cancer research. He highlighted the pivotal partnership between the Lustgarten Foundation, Northwell Cancer Institute, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which has become a cornerstone of cancer care on Long Island.
“Northwell Cancer Institute is proud to join thousands of patients, families, caregivers, physicians and scientists at the Lustgarten Foundation’s Long Island Walk for Pancreatic Cancer Research,” said Richard Barakat, MD, physician-in-chief and executive director of the Northwell Cancer Institute. “The funds raised at the walks we sponsor across the metropolitan area help accelerate discoveries through our collaboration with the Lustgarten Foundation and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Together, we are advancing next-generation clinical trials, novel drug combinations, early detection methods and breakthrough therapies that were unimaginable just a few years ago. It is a truly exciting and hopeful time in pancreatic cancer research, and our patients locally and across the country are already benefitting.”
Pancreatic cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. This year, nearly 67,530 Americans will be diagnosed and approximately 2,930 New Yorkers will die from this devastating disease—most blindsided by a late-stage diagnosis with few treatment options.
Siani Mannino, a 39-year-old Long Islander living with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, shared remarks about the urgent need for continued research and new treatment options. Diagnosed last year just months after her wedding, Mannino was enrolled in a clinical trial at Northwell Cancer Institute, an experience she said transformed her despair into hope. “We want to unlock pancreatic cancer prevention. We desperately need earlier detection. And we want new, research-backed treatment options. Options that could give us more time,” Mannino told the crowd. “Because we all deserve countless tomorrows with the people we love.”
There is hope. The 5-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients has more than tripled since the Lustgarten Foundation was founded in 1998. The Foundation continues to accelerate research progress by investing in promising science at every stage, from early discovery through clinical development. That sustained investment helped advance RASONQUE™ (daraxonrasib), the first FDA-approved treatment of its kind, bringing a new treatment option to patients and demonstrating what long-term investment in pancreatic cancer research can make possible.
Joining the Walk to inspire others was pancreatic cancer survivor Thomas DeSantis, 86, a retired Long Island road worker and bulldozer operator from Yaphank. After experiencing repeated vomiting around Thanksgiving in November 2025, Tom initially thought he had a virus. Testing revealed a tumor near his pancreas that was blocking his digestive tract, and he was diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer. In January 2026, Tom underwent a nine-hour minimally invasive robotic Whipple procedure performed by Pejman Radkani, MD, Northwell Health’s Eastern Regional Director of Surgical Oncology and Chief of Surgical Oncology at Huntington Hospital. Today, Tom is cancer-free and back to enjoying life, golfing, spending time with family, and traveling to Montauk.
“For 28 years, the Lustgarten Foundation has been committed to ushering in a new era in pancreatic cancer research to accelerate progress and improve patient survival,” Tantawi added. “Our focus remains unwavering on what matters most: transforming, extending, and saving lives by fueling bold, innovative science.”
For those interested in supporting the Long Island Walk, the event registration page as well as individual and team fundraising pages will remain open throughout 2026.