The American Cancer Society said it was a beautiful day as an estimated 8,500 people attended its 32nd Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Queens walk at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Oct. 19.
Throughout the nonprofit’s walk, people went to a photo booth along the route, while others had their pictures taken as they sat on a giant pink chair sponsored by NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens hospital.
Breast cancer survivors received giveaways at the Survivor Tent and rang the Bell of Hope — sponsored by Main Street Radiology — indicating they had finished their chemo treatment.
Karen “DJ Nett” Lawson and The Nettwork provided music for the event.
Mrs. Met and members of Eagle Academy’s Queens Campus Cheer also cheered folks on.
The walk is expected to hit or exceed its $540,000 fundraising goal based on the trajectory of funds coming in, said Michele Steigerwald, a development manager at ACS.
“The funds raised will support groundbreaking cancer research, patient programs like Road to Recovery — which provides free rides to treatment — and our Hope Lodge, a home away from home where patients stay free of charge, as well as vital advocacy efforts,” Steigerwald said via email. “It was a truly impactful day filled with hope, love, and community spirit.
“Our survivor speaker, Stephanie Villaronga, who finished treatment just two days before the event, led the way for our survivors and proudly cut the ribbon to begin our walk.”
Villaronga, 29, a mother, wife and schoolteacher, is from Briarwood.
“On April 15, I got the call — the call —that confirmed my diagnosis. Breast cancer,” said Villaronga in a Voices of Hope Spotlight statement. “And I’m not here alone—because of the American Cancer Society. Thanks to their ACS Cares app, I’ve been able to connect with people who can answer my questions, share their own stories, and remind me that I’m not walking this road by myself.”
Road to Recovery started more than 30 years ago in New England and is now available in at least one market in all 50 states. The program has provided over 9.6 million rides since 2005, which is when the nonprofit started recording numbers. Last year, it provided 71,534.
Transportation is the No. 1 barrier to cancer treatment, according to ACS, which is able to provide half of all rides requested.
Hope Lodge will celebrate its 18th anniversary on Nov. 5. It has served 31,479 cancer patients and their caregivers since opening in 2007 and guests have come from all 50 states and 74 countries. The lodge has enabled cancer outpatients from 31 referring hospitals or health offices, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, NewYork-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai Health System and NYU Medical Center, among them, to receive life-saving treatment.
Since 1991, the nonprofit has invested nearly $3.5 billion in cancer research and more than $600 million in breast cancer research in the last 30 years alone, helping to contribute to a 33 percent decline in the cancer death rate, leading to 4.1 million lives saved, said ACS.
People with cancer, along with their caregivers, may seek help from ACS’s 24/7 helpline at 1 (800) 227-2345 or at its website, cancer.org. For more information about Making Strides, visit MakingStridesWalk.org/Queens.
The nonprofit sets cancer-screening guidelines to help people catch cancer early; advocates for high-quality and affordable healthcare; funds grants to reduce health disparities (Black women are 38 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than white women); and conducts research on early detection and survivorship, just to name a few of its deeds.