Lustgarten Foundation’s New York Pancreatic Cancer Research Walks Go Virtual with Sponsorship from Northwell Health Cancer Institute

Woodbury, N.Y., —Several thousand participants hit the streets throughout the New York metropolitan area in support of the Lustgarten Foundation a year ago. Times have dramatically changed since the coronavirus pandemic began, but the mission is no less critical: ending pancreatic cancer

On Sunday, July 12, thousands of walkers across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Westchester will participate in the Lustgarten Foundation’s New York Virtual Walk, sponsored by Northwell Health Cancer Institute. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year participants can join the virtual walk from anywhere and head to the sidewalk outside their apartment, their neighborhood block or their own backyard to raise awareness and research funding. One hundred percent of every dollar raised from the New York Virtual Walk goes directly to pancreatic cancer research.

“As a two-year pancreatic cancer survivor and volunteer at the Lustgarten Foundation, I know pancreatic cancer research can’t wait. That’s why, even though I won’t be able to attend my hometown walk in person, I’ll be supporting the New York Virtual Walk with my family while I’m in Florida and helping the Foundation raise vital funds to continue to support groundbreaking research so that pancreatic cancer patients can have more hope than ever before,” said Marcia Sterenbuch.

“Recognizing the significant impact COVID-19 has had on New Yorkers as well as pancreatic cancer patients and their loved ones, we are more thankful than ever to have Northwell Health as a committed collaborator in the fight against COVID-19 and pancreatic cancer,” said Kerri Kaplan, president and CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation.

The Lustgarten Foundation has been hard hit by canceled fundraising events and decreased donations stemming from economic uncertainty as a result of the pandemic. The New York Virtual Walk will help raise the critical funds necessary to keep pancreatic cancer research on pace so researchers can identify earlier detection methods and discover newer, more effective treatment options.

“Although we won’t be walking in person for this year’s New York walk for pancreatic cancer research, our commitment to the Lustgarten Foundation and finding a cure for pancreatic cancer has never been stronger,” said Richard Barakat, MD, physician-in-chief and director of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, and senior vice president of the health system’s Cancer Service Line. “Our physicianresearchers at Northwell’s Pancreatic Cancer Center are aligned with renowned researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, through the Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory. This collaboration allows physicians to bring cutting-edge therapies from clinical trials to pancreatic cancer patients and make discoveries that change the way the disease is treated.”

To register for the New York Virtual Walk online, go to: lustgarten.org/nywalks. Join as an individual or start a team and ask friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to join virtually from any location. All registered virtual walkers will have their donations matched up to $100,000 by the Dozen Dimes Foundation. Participants are encouraged to wear purple on the day of the walk and to share photos and videos from their neighborhood on social media and tag the Lustgarten Foundation at @LustgartenFDN.