More Than $70,000 Raised at the Seventh Annual Steeplechase Distance Run

More Than $70,000 Raised at the Seventh Annual Steeplechase Distance Run to Benefit the Steeplechase Cancer Center at RWJ Somerset

Cancer Survivors, Physicians and Local Community Members Join Forces to Raise Funds and Awareness for Cancer

(Somerville, N.J.) – More than 1,000 cancer survivors, physicians, local residents, family and friends gathered for the seventh annual Steeplechase Distance Run at Amsterdam Elementary School in Hillsborough on Sunday, September 27, 2015. Every year, the event honors the lives lost to cancer and celebrates those in recovery, and this year the run raised more than $70,000 for the Steeplechase Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset. The event, organized by Somerset Health Care Foundation, featured a 10K run, 5K run, 2-mile walk, kid sprints, music, refreshments, face painting and more, over a scenic course through Hillsborough.

“I’m proud of the team we have here at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset and our local neighbors for their relentless ambition in helping us continue to develop superior support services and educational programs that help our patients live longer and healthier lives” said Brian D. Agnew, Chief Development Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Health System. “The funds raised from this year’s Steeplechase Distance Run/Walk will enable us to continue to offer a wide range of complementary medical oncology programs for cancer survivors and host educational events to keep our community healthier and happier. We are thankful for all of the generous people who joined us at the event to celebrate life and honor those who have been affected by cancer.”

The Steeplechase Distance Run/Walk began and ended at Amsterdam Elementary School in Hillsborough. All runs were USA Track and Field (USATF) certified. A tent with art supplies allowed participants to make “shirt signs” with inspiring messages. RWJ Somerset’s Sports Performance staff was available providing runners with free trainer-assisted stretching, the Steeplechase Cancer Center had a special tent dedicated for cancer survivors. Guests gathered at tables in the festive tent to enjoy food, refreshments and the company of fellow survivors, friends and family.

Runners and walkers made teams to honor survivors and those lost. Two of the largest teams included Steps Together, a local 501c3 dedicated to supporting local families facing a medical crisis and Team Jonathan, formed by Dr. Delia Figueroa of RWJ Somerset’s Information Technology Services Department in memory of her son.

Following the completion of the races, an awards ceremony was held to recognize top runners in each event and age group. Brian Crowley of Hillsborough took first place out of 243 runners in the 10K, completing the race in just over 36 minutes. Chuck Schneekloth of North Brunswick was the winner in the 5K, finishing in just over 17 minutes. Crowley and Schneekloth were both awarded medals for their accomplishments, and medals were also awarded to the top finishers in each age category. Every runner/walker was provided a t-shirt and goodie bag, as a token of the hospital’s appreciation for their support.

The 5K walk was led by breast cancer survivors Yvonne Comito of Hillsborough, Bonnie Girvan of Bound Brook and Marcia Moore of Hillsborough, who served as ambassadors for the event.

The $70,000 raised from the event will support RWJ Somerset’s many cancer-focused community health lectures, survivorship and rehabilitation programs, cooking demonstrations, nutrition classes, and complementary medicine, including yoga, reiki and meditation classes.

To learn more about Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, please visit www.rwjuh.edu. For a referral to a physician affiliated with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, please call 1-888-MD-RWJUH. Follow us on Twitter at www.rwjuh.edu/twitter and Facebook at www.rwjuh.edu/facebook.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson Health System

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is the flagship hospital of Robert Wood Johnson Health System – New Jersey’s premier health system which boasts three acute care hospitals: RWJUH in New Brunswick and Somerville; RWJUH- Hamilton and RWJUH- Rahway and a national leader in pediatric rehabilitation: Children’s Specialized Hospital, as well as five fitness and wellness centers and numerous outpatient facilities. Through RWJ Health System, patients have access to exceptional women’s and children’s services and expert cancer, cardiac, emergency, neurology, stroke, trauma and pediatric rehabilitation care in addition to comprehensive health and wellness programs.

RWJUH is a 965-bed academic medical center with campuses in New Brunswick and Somerville, NJ. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, joint replacement, and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). As the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, RWJUH is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the only Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.

RWJUH has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report seven times and has been selected by the publication as a high performing hospital in numerous specialties. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report for three consecutive years.

Both the New Brunswick and Somerset campuses have earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence, an “A” patient safety rating from the Leapfrog Group and “Most Wired” designation by Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine. The Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services have designated the New Brunswick Campus as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and the Somerset Campus as a Primary Stroke Center.

The American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer has rated RWJUH New Brunswick among the nation’s best comprehensive cancer centers and designated the Steeplechase Cancer Center at RWJ Somerset as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center. The Joint Surgery Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for total knee and total hip replacement surgery.

For more Information visit us online at www.rwjuh.edu.

###