Cold Spring Harbor, NY — On August 11, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and 17 other beneficiary organizations received checks from Ginny Salerno, Executive Director of the Long Island 2 Day Walk to Fight Breast Cancer, from funding raised at the 2010 Walk. The 35-mile walk, which has been held in June each year since 2004, provides funding for breast cancer support groups, research, financial assistance, awareness, education programs and scholarships on Long Island.
A record number of 385 walkers participated in this year’s walk on June 5 and 6, which raised a total of $515,000. Walkers started Saturday morning from Smith Point Park in Shirley, walked 20 miles throughout the day and camped overnight at Cathedral Pines in Middle Island. Over 600 volunteers assisted at the walk throughout the weekend. The walkers completed the final 15 miles on Sunday morning, returning to Smith Point Park, where 150 breast cancer survivors joined them as they crossed the Smith Point Bridge to be greeted by family and friends at the closing ceremony.
“This walk is very different from other breast cancer walks because the number of people participating in it made it more intimate and the organizers made us feel comfortable and well taken care of,” said Susan Hucke, one of the six walkers on the CSHL team. “It was a wonderful experience. We really liked that all the money raised stays on Long Island. That adds to the intimacy.”
Since 2004, CSHL has received a total of $167,500 in funding for breast cancer research from the LI2Day Walk. Funding received this year will support Dr. Mikala Egeblad’s breast cancer research at CSHL. Dr. Egeblad uses mouse models of breast cancer and real-time imaging of tumor cells in live mice to study how tumor-associated stromal cells and the tumor microenvironment affects breast cancer progression and response to therapy.
The Long Island 2 Day Walk is organized to raise awareness and funding for the fight against breast cancer on Long Island. 100% of the donations raised by the participants are distributed to grassroots service organizations so the funds reach the members of the Long Island community affected by breast cancer.
Written by: Hema Bashyam, Science Writer | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455