Lustgarten Foundation kicks off first in-person event with New York City Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk sponsored by Northwell Health

Hundreds of walkers touched by pancreatic cancer united at Hudson River Park’s Pier 84 in New York City on Sunday, June 27

Woodbury, N.Y. —Hundreds of walkers touched by pancreatic cancer united at Hudson River Park’s Pier 84 in New York City on Sunday, June 27 for a day of hope, awareness and funding for pancreatic cancer research. The New York City Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk, sponsored by Northwell Health, marked the Lustgarten Foundation’s first in-person event in more than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic halted gatherings and forced supporters to participate virtually. The event also incorporated neighboring walks in Brooklyn and Westchester.

“We’ve waited a long time to safely hold an in-person event for our supporters,” said Linda Tantawi, CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation. “Yesterday’s walk was truly inspiring for the participants who have been eager to come back out and continue raising awareness and funding for a cause we all care deeply about, and also for us as a community to share the day with Northwell Health and thank them for their significant contributions to all New Yorkers during the pandemic.”

As the walk kicked off, the Lustgarten Foundation presented the first Physician of Impact Award to Elliot Newman, MD, chief of surgical oncology at Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. Dr. Newman is focused on state-of-the-art multidisciplinary cancer care for gastrointestinal cancer, including pancreatic cancer.

“Over the past year, we faced unprecedented challenges to provide uninterrupted, high-quality cancer care to our patients in the New York region, a testament to our dedicated clinical teams,” said Richard Barakat, MD, physician-in-chief and director of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute. “At the same time, Northwell remained steadfast in its commitment to moving forward with robust pancreatic research efforts with its key collaborators—the Lustgarten Foundation and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory—which allows physicians to bring cutting-edge therapies from clinical trials to pancreatic cancer patients and make breakthroughs that change the way the disease is treated.”

This year’s New York City Walk featured special guests, including Dave Price, WNBC weather forecaster, who sadly lost his brother, Steve, recently to pancreatic cancer. Participants had the option to walk individually or in small groups in their neighborhoods while still supporting the shared goal of fundraising to transform pancreatic cancer into a curable disease and help patients live longer, healthier
lives. Since its inception 11 years ago, the New York City Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk has raised more than $3.5 million to fund bold and innovative science toward earlier detection and better treatments.

The Lustgarten Foundation and Northwell Health are dedicated to funding new clinical trials to offer patients better treatment options and outcomes and giving a voice to the pancreatic cancer community.
For those who would still like to donate to support the New York City Walk, the registration page will remain open throughout 2021.