Monmouth Medical Center Joins Colon Cancer Alliance for Annual Fund-Raising Undy Run/Walk

A team from Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) once again joined more than 700 Jersey Shore residents on July 15 who took to the city streets of Long Branch to support the family-friendly Undy Run/Walk, an event dedicated to colon cancer awareness.

Hosted by the Colon Cancer Alliance and sponsored by Monmouth Medical Center, this lighthearted event encouraged participants to wear silly boxers, briefs or costumes in support of knocking colon cancer out of the top three cancer killers. Michael Arvanitis, M.D., chief of colorectal surgery and acting chairman of surgery for MMC, spoke at the event, and both he and fellow MMC colorectal surgeon Roy Dressner, D.O., ran the 5K.

Money raised through this annual event benefits Monmouth Medical Center, as well as supports national prevention, research and patient support initiatives of the Colon Cancer Alliance. Created to raise money and awareness for colon cancer, the Undy Run/Walk isn’t the everyday 5K. Instead of typical running gear, attendees sport a variety of eye-catching attire, including themed underwear or boxers, frilly tutus, super hero capes, or head-to-toe costumes.

While it’s one of the most preventable cancers, colon cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. In 2014, nearly 140,000 Americans were diagnosed with colon cancer, and more than 50,000 died from the disease. In New Jersey alone, there have been 4,280 diagnoses and 1,510 colon cancer deaths in the past year.

Monmouth Medical Center and RWJBarnabas Health proudly support the “80% by 2018” national initiative, led by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. “80% by 2018” is a national initiative in which more than 500 organizations are working toward the shared goal of 80% of adults aged 50 and older being regularly screened for colorectal cancer by 2018. Visit www.rwjbh.org/80by18 for further information and to find a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon.

About Monmouth Medical Center

Located in Long Branch, N.J., Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, along with The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center, is one of New Jersey's largest academic medical centers. From its earliest days, Monmouth Medical Center has been a leader in surgical advancement and has introduced many technological firsts to the region, including robotic surgery and other minimally invasive techniques. Monmouth Medical Center is the only hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties to consistently receive an “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization of employer purchasers of health care and the nation’s leading experts on patient safety. It is one of eight New Jersey hospitals to receive a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the highest hospital rating in the state.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Among those joining the MMC team for the 2017 Undy 500 held at the Long Branch beachfront are, at left and third from left, MMC colorectal surgeons Roy Dressner, D.O., and Michael Arvanitis, M.D. They are pictured with Tanya Kenney, Regional Director, Barnabas Health Medical Group, Laura Gallo, Special Projects Manager, MMC Cancer Services, Portia Lagmay-Fuentes, Regional Administrative Director for Cancer Services at MMC and MMCSC, and Julie Villa, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, Director of Nursing Excellence and Innovation for MMC.