Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Presents 'Rock & Run' 6/8

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center will present its second annual Rock & Run on the River (www.mskcc.org/rockandrun) Sunday, June 8, 2008. This one-day event will feature a 5k run/walk followed by a food and entertainment festival on Hudson River Park's Pier 84 (12th Ave at 44th St.).  MSNBC's Dan Abrams will host.
 
Rock & Run on the River was created to raise awareness and funds for MSKCC's Cancer Survivorship Initiative (www.mskcc.org/livingbeyondcancer), a comprehensive program of services for cancer survivors and their families that also includes research to address issues of critical importance to survivors nationwide.
 
"Last year's inaugural event provided a wonderful opportunity to honor cancer survivors and celebrate the support they receive from their family and friends, all while raising funds for a worthy cause," said Mary McCabe RN, MA, director of the Cancer Survivorship Initiative.  "At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, we're committed to helping patients make the transition from active treatment to life beyond cancer, and it is an inspiration to see so many people celebrating survivorship and enjoying the day's festivities."
 
Rock & Run on the River drew over 2,000 participants in 2007.  The goal for this year is to build on that success while generating broad awareness of the progress being achieved against cancer and of the need to support expanded survivorship services and research.

 After the morning's run/walk, participants and their families and friends can enjoy Brunch Along the Hudson River, featuring a selection of distinctive dishes prepared by some of New York's top restaurants, including District, Eileen's Cheesecake, Havana Central, Icon, P.D. O'Hurley's, and Vento. Brunch tickets are $15 per person if purchased before June 6, or $20 at the event.

All participants in the run/walk will receive an event T-shirt designed by the honorary event co-chair, acclaimed fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo. The registration fee for the run/walk is $30 in advance and $35 on race day.

In addition to Brunch Along the Hudson, other offerings include:
 
A Survivorship Tent on the pier, where survivors and their families can gather and reflect together. Guests can share their experiences, create a memento at the video testimonial booth, and take advantage of soothing massages in a shaded area.
 
A Cool-Down Lounge, where attendees can relax and receive a complimentary massage after the race. This lounge will extend to the main lawn, where guests can enjoy yoga and fitness classes courtesy of Crunch.
 
A Kids' Zone, where children and their parents can participate in fun, hands-on activities produced courtesy of Citibabes, a private club for  families in SoHo. 
 
 
Schedule for the Day
 
7:00 a.m.           Registration Opens (located at Hudson River Park's Pier 84)
9:00 a.m.           5K Run
9:30 a.m.           5K Walk
9:30 a.m.           Post-Race Performances and Festivities
12 noon         Festivities Conclude
 
The sponsors of Rock & Run on the River are Perry Capital, Crunch, and Friends of Jen and Dave Linn. Media partners include The New York Times, WCBS-TV, WCBS FM, K-Rock, and Fresh 102.7. The local partners for the event are Citibabes and Hygrade.
 
All proceeds from Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Rock & Run on the River will benefit the Center's Cancer Survivorship Initiative. Participants can register online at www.mskcc.org/rockandrun. For more information, call 646-227-3885 or e-mail rockandrun@mskcc.org
 
CANCER SURVIVORSHIP INITIATIVE
 
Since its founding in 1884, Memorial Sloan-Kettering has led the way in generating new insights into cancer and offering the most advanced patient care. Most recently, MSKCC has taken the lead in establishing a Survivorship Initiative that includes a focus on research, clinical services, education, and dissemination of information. MSKCC has been named a Lance Armstrong Foundation Center of Excellence.
 
Recent advances in cancer treatment make it possible for increasing numbers of patients to be cured of their disease or to live long lives by controlling their cancer as a chronic condition.  Today, close to 11 million people live with a history of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.  This good news is possible as a result of important advances in cancer research and treatment achieved at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and elsewhere.  However, with these encouraging results come new challenges for cancer survivors, including the need for ongoing medical care, psychosocial support, and careful monitoring of treatment complications and cancer recurrence.
 
The Cancer Survivorship Initiative is a comprehensive program that offers a full range of complex medical services designed to provide continuity of care from active treatment to follow-up. It employs a team approach that assures cancer survivors continued access to MSKCC's expertise. Complementing this expert care is an array of survivor-specific assistance, including physical rehabilitation, psychological monitoring, counseling, and communication with community physicians, all guided by MSKCC's pioneering clinical research. 
 
 
MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER
 
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the world's oldest and largest private institution devoted exclusively to cancer research, education, and compassionate patient care. Its scientists and clinicians are at the forefront of efforts to develop innovative approaches that lead to better methods to understand, diagnose, and treat the disease. MSKCC's specialists are leaders in biomedical research and in the application of new discoveries to advance the standard of cancer care worldwide. 

Photos of Patti LuPone modeling this years t-shirt with friend and designer, Carmen marc Valvo