Lustgarten Walk—Lehigh Valley on Its Way to Raising $1 Million for Pancreatic Cancer Research

WOODBURY, N.Y. – On Sunday, September 22nd, walk leader Todd Wendling will again lead the annual Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Allentown, Pennsylvania at Lehigh Parkway. The walk, now in its eleventh year, has raised more than $820,000 for pancreatic cancer research since inception.

Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate in the single digits and has no early detection tests, no effective long-term treatments and, unless the cancer is surgically removed in its earliest stages, no cure. This year, more than 56,000 cases will be diagnosed and almost 46,000 people will die from pancreatic cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 2,200 Pennsylvania residents will die from this disease this year. Working to change these statistics, the Lustgarten Foundation directs one hundred percent of every dollar raised to pancreatic cancer research.

Todd knows firsthand how devastating this disease is and has been on a mission to make a difference so that other families won’t have to go through what his did. In September 2008, his mother Janet was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Sadly, she lost her battle with the disease after 72 days. Ten years later, in March 2018, Janet’s sister was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages,” said Todd. “That’s why the early detection research that the Lustgarten Foundation is funding is so important to changing the outcomes for patients and their loved ones,” he said.

Building upon the success of the Foundation’s first dedicated research laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the Lustgarten Foundation has opened additional pancreatic cancer research laboratories at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins. Together, these facilities position the Foundation as the only non-profit in the country to have four labs dedicated to pancreatic cancer research, which means more resources, time and talent are being put toward this disease.

The Lustgarten Walk—Lehigh Valley will begin with registration at 8:30 am and the walk at 10:00 am. Participants will walk or run a 3-mile loop along the Little Lehigh River. Bring friends and family out for a day of awareness, raffles, and food. For more information and to register, visit www.lustgartenwalklehighvalley.org or call 1.866.789.1000.