Yorktown Heights Resident Joins The Lustgarten Foundation and More Than 1,000 Westchester Residents in Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk

Yorktown Heights resident Rachel Katz will honor her aunt by joining more than 1,000 Westchester and surrounding area residents at The Lustgarten Foundation’s sixth annual Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk. The walk will be held on Sunday, April 19, at Rye Playland Park in Rye, NY.

The Lustgarten Foundation is the nation’s largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Due to Cablevision’s support of the Foundation, 100 percent of every dollar that Rachel and her fellow walkers raise will go directly to pancreatic cancer research.

Rachel’s aunt Judith passed away from pancreatic cancer in July 1999 after a nine-month battle. Rachel was only 14 years old and deeply missed the fun, energetic and generous aunt who had so positively impacted her life. As she got older, Rachel felt a strong urge not just to keep her aunt’s memory alive, but also to help others dealing with pancreatic cancer. In 2011 she found out about the Westchester walk and immediately joined with friends and family as team “Friends for a Cure.” Rachel has been participating every year since, and for the past three years she has been a part of the walk’s planning committee.

Rachel believes that participating in the walk is an uplifting way to honor her aunt’s memory. And for Rachel, it is also fulfilling to know that 100 percent of all money she raises goes directly to pancreatic cancer research.

“It is because of dedicated individuals like Rachel that we’re able to raise much-needed awareness of pancreatic cancer and to raise funds that will go directly toward advancing important research aimed at developing an early detection test, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure,” said Lustgarten Foundation Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Kerri Kaplan.

The Lustgarten Foundation’s Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk at Rye Playland Park will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 19, with registration starting at 8:00 a.m. For more information about the walk or to register, please visit www.curePC.org.

About Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is swift and silent, often undetected until it’s too late. The overall five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is seven percent and most with advanced cancer die within a year. There are no early detection tests, no effective long-term treatments and, unless the cancer is surgically removed in its earliest stages, no cure. It is the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. For more information about pancreatic cancer, please visit: www.curepc.org/infographic.

About The Lustgarten Foundation

The Lustgarten Foundation is America’s largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Based in Bethpage, New York, the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, facilitates dialogue within the medical and scientific community, and educates the public about the disease through awareness campaigns and fundraising events. The Foundation has provided millions of research dollars and assembled the best scientific minds with the hope that one day, a cure can be found. Due to the support of Cablevision Systems Corporation, a leading media and telecommunications company, 100 percent of every dollar donated to The Lustgarten Foundation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. The Lustgarten Foundation and Cablevision are also partners in the curePC public awareness campaign in support of the fight against pancreatic cancer. For additional information, please visit www.curePC.org.