Acclaimed chef Anita Lo will kick off the first of three annual New Jersey walkathons during September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Lo will deliver an inspirational message to motivate participants in the 10th annual Morristown walkathon at the Loantaka Brook Reservation on Sunday, September 13, 2009.
"I’m honored to play a small part in an event that draws much-needed attention to a devastating disease," said Lo. "At the same time, I’m awed by the courage of ovarian cancer survivors and humbled by the dedication of their families and friends who carry the message about the importance of early detection and the urgent need for intensified research to discover a cure."
Two additional walkathons will take place Sunday, September 20, at the Richard W. DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst and on Saturday, September 26, at the boardwalk in Avon-by-the-Sea.
All three events are being organized by Kaleidoscope of Hope (KOH), a New Jersey nonprofit created by three ovarian cancer survivors. KOH works to raise funds for research and increase awareness of the disease and has donated over $1.2 million to the cause since its founding.
"On behalf of KOH and all those touched in some way by ovarian cancer, I’d like to express my sincere thanks to Anita for joining us," said Marc Boisclair, President of KOH. "Her presence demonstrates solidarity with our cause and reminds us we’re not alone in pursuit of our critical mission."
Lo, co-owner and chef of the New York restaurant Annisa, has made numerous public and television appearances and her recipes have appeared in the New York Times, Time Out and Out. In July, she won two episodes of Top Chef Masters and finished in the final four of 24 chefs. She is gearing up to cook for a SHARE (Self-Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer) fundraiser on September 21.
The Morris County Walkathon not only marks a decade of fundraising this year but also honors KOH co-founder, Gail MacNeil, who died from ovarian cancer in 2008. "We are proud to continue working towards Gail’s personal goal of finding an early detection test and more effective treatments for her daughters’ and granddaughters’ generations," said Boisclair.
The 2009 Gail MacNeil Spirit of Courage Award will honor Barbara Gettinger and her grand-daughter, Emily Weiner, Livingston. Barbara died last October after a three-year battle with ovarian cancer. While in treatment, undergoing several surgeries and often seriously ill, Barbara organized a health symposium for hundreds of people focusing on gynecological cancers. She also formed an ovarian cancer support group and a general cancer support group, established a parenting center at her local synagogue, chaired a charity golf tournament and became a mentor to another ovarian cancer patient.
Barbara’s granddaughter Emily, as part of her Bat Mitzvah project and as a way of honoring her grandmother, has been making head scarves ("Baba’s Babushkas") for cancer patients at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown, N.J., and Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach Florida.
Melissa Weiner, Barbara’s daughter and Emily’s mother, has been a key supporter in this three-generation effort. The Weiner family will be giving out scarves at the Morristown event.
Ovarian cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women, claims the lives of nearly 400 New Jersey residents each year. The disease, which can be difficult to detect, is also difficult to treat in its advanced stages, with a five-year survival rate of only 28 percent.
Based in Madison, NJ, Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation was created in 2000 by three ovarian cancer survivors: Gail MacNeil, Chatham Township, and Lois Myers and Patricia Stewart Busso, Harding Township. After undergoing treatment for the disease, the women decided to turn their experiences into activism, organizing to increase awareness and help fund medical research. The Foundation, staffed by volunteers, has donated more than a million dollars to organizations involved in ovarian cancer research and advocacy. For more information regarding The Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation, visit www.kohnj.org.