1,200 Raising Hope + Lung Cancer Research Dollars

- Survivors + Supporters Gather on October 21 for LUNGevity's Breathe Deep NYC 3K Walk -

- Master of Ceremonies MSNBC Anchor Richard Lui Announced -

- Elected Officials + Former President Bill Clinton's Surgeon Dr. Joshua Sonett to Speak -

- "Bubbles + Bells Ceremony" to Blow Wishes + Send Love to Those Passed -

- Live Entertainment + Children's Activities + Tricky Tray Prizes + an iPad Raffle Included -

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of people whose lives have been impacted by lung cancer will gather in Battery Park for LUNGevity Foundation's Breathe Deep NYC 3K Walk on Sunday, October 21, 2012. This is the 6th year for Breathe Deep New York, which has grown over 15% since its inception and is the only walk of its kind in NYC to benefit lung cancer. LUNGevity, the nation's largest lung cancer-focused nonprofit, hosts the event to raise awareness and funds for earlier detection and more effective treatments of lung cancer.

The morning is full of live entertainment, fun activities for kids, free refreshments, and more for participants to enjoy. Elected officials and former surgeon to President Bill Clinton, Dr. Joshua Sonett, will speak. MSNBC Dayside News Anchor Richard Lui will serve as Master of Ceremonies. For the first time, the day will include a "Bubbles and Bells Ceremony" to celebrate lung cancer survivors and to blow wishes and love to those we are remembering.

What: 6^th Annual LUNGevity Breathe Deep NYC 3K Walk

When: Sunday, October 21, 2012

• 8:30 am: Check-in/registration begins
• 9:00 am: Team photos
• 10:00 am: Event program
• 10:30 am: 3K walk
• 12:00 noon: Closing ceremony

Where: Battery Park, outside the Battery Gardens Restaurant, near 17 State Street. 

For more information, please visit www.lungevity.org/nycwalk

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand commented on Breathe Deep NYC:

"Lung cancer affects 1 in 14 people across the country, and LUNGevity's Breathe Deep NYC Walk will raise lifesaving funds for lung cancer research," said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. "I commend the efforts of LUNGevity and everyone participating in the Breathe Deep NYC Walk for raising public awareness and walking to fight lung cancer. I pledge my support and commitment to the battle against lung cancer."

"We need all hands on deck to combat the deadly scourge of lung cancer," said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "I commend the LUNGevity Breathe Deep NYC Walk for raising critical awareness and funding for lung cancer research."

Both U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand co-sponsored the 2011 Lung Cancer Mortality Act, which called for the implementation of a comprehensive program to achieve a 50% reduction in the mortality rate of lung cancer by 2020.

Listed below are community member participants who are available for interviews on-site to share their personal experiences with lung cancer.

• Breathe Deep NYC Co-Chair Jessica Trovato of New York City joined the walk in 2008 to walk with her father. Jessica now co-chairs the walk in his memory, and has become the Marketing Coordinator for LUNGevity Foundation. She has been instrumental in the growth of this event each year.
• Ellen, a lung cancer survivor from New York City, was originally diagnosed in September of 2008. Ellen had been receiving routing CAT scans as a result of annual bronchitis she had developed. One of those scans showed her lung cancer. After several courses treatment and several reoccurrences, she is now healthy, 1½ years after her original diagnosis. She credits her survival to the early detection and wonderful treatment of her doctors as well as the support from her friends and family.
• Dr. Joshua Sonett, Breathe Deep NYC Guest Speaker, is the Chief of General Thoracic Surgery, Surgical Director of the Lung Transplant Program, and Attending Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. He is also a Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons with an endowed chair in surgical oncology. He is instrumental in making the Thoracic Surgery program at Columbia University one of the best in the U.S. He also treated former President Bill Clinton.
• Linda Lin of New York City walks in support of her friend "B" and in memory of her aunt. Linda hopes to create awareness among the Asian American community that lung cancer is not just a smoker's disease. Her friend "B" was a healthy, young woman when diagnosed with lung cancer in November of 2011. Linda's aunt, a healthy 60-year-old never-smoker, died of lung cancer in early 2011. Never-smokers with lung cancer are more likely to be female (in particular Asian), have adenocarcinoma, and have the EGFR genetic mutation.
• Lisa Gilfillan of Roxbury, NJ, is the team captain of the largest team, Team Canfield. More than 78 people will walk in memory of Bill Canfield, a healthy, active, young father, who passed shortly after his diagnosis. Some of the team members have never met Bill, but believe that lung cancer is a cause that needs support.
• Port Washington, NY, resident Peter Rizzo will be walking in memory of his father, who lost his battle with lung cancer in August 2011. Peter, along with his father and about 100 friends, family, and students joined the walk in 2010. Now, two years later, the team continues to walk for LUNGevity to help stop lung cancer.

The Breathe Deep walks and runs are LUNGevity's nationwide signature events, launched by the foundation to raise public awareness and critical funds needed for lung cancer research. Through LUNGevity's expansive grassroots network, communities, celebrities, corporate executives and elected officials across the country are coming together to stand up to the nation's number-one cancer killer. LUNGevity's Breathe Deep events offer a place for those impacted by the disease to share, hope, and heal.

Lung cancer takes more lives annually than colorectal, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers combined. In fact, with one in 14 Americans diagnosed in his or her lifetime, the number of people who die from lung cancer is equal to having a jumbo jet fall from the sky every single day. More than half the people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked or have already quit smoking. There is no widely available and cost-effective early diagnostic test, and only 16 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer survive five or more years post-diagnosis.

LUNGevity Foundation has the largest grants award program for lung cancer research among lung cancer nonprofit organizations in the United States. In the past two years alone, LUNGevity has awarded over $5 million to the most promising lung cancer research projects. In addition to funding research, the foundation has a robust national grassroots network, with events happening across the country. The organization also has the largest online support community for lung cancer patients and their loved ones. For more information, visit www.lungevity.org.

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation