HopeWalks Registration Now Open!

The Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation has announced that its fourth annual HopeWalks event will be held on Sunday, September 29, 2013. HopeWalks is a 3.5 mile neighborhood walk to benefit the Integrative Support Services offered at the Vernon Cancer Center. These life-enhancing services for cancer patients optimize healing and comfort throughout treatment. Newton-Wellesley Hospital wants to make these services available to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Online registration is now open at www.nwh.org/hopewalks.

“HopeWalks is such a wonderful community event, and we look forward to coming together once again to benefit the Vernon Cancer Center,” said Joan Archer, president, Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation. “To see so many people walking in honor of friends and family who have fought or are fighting cancer is extremely powerful. Supporting HopeWalks by walking or donating really does give hope to all our cancer patients and their families.”

The Vernon Cancer Center’s Integrative Support Services include:

·         A patient navigator who provides support from the point of diagnosis through the entire continuum of care;

·         Genetic testing and comprehensive risk assessment to identify family history of cancer;

·         Access to a wide variety of clinical trials including research conducted in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Partners Cancer Care;

·         Nutritional support to help patients get adequate nutrition and meet dietary needs;

·         Psychological and social services to help patients and their families deal with the emotional impact of the initial diagnosis and treatment;

·         Therapeutic services such as massage, Reiki, yoga, and other relaxation methods;

·         Pain management services tailored to deal with each patient’s unique diagnosis.

The HopeWalks route will begin and end at the hospital, and all ages are welcome. Check-in will begin at 9:00am, opening ceremonies with Honorary Master of Ceremonies Sue Brady from MIX 104.1 will start at 9:30 am, and the walk will begin at 10:00am. Walkers and their families will enjoy a hospitality tent, entertainment, food, and prizes given to largest teams and participants who raise the most money. HopeWalks is a fundraiser, and while there is no minimum donation amount required to participate, it is recommended that each walker raise a minimum of $100. All walkers who raise $500+ are considered “Super” walkers, and those who raise $1,000+ are considered “Power” walkers.

The online registration fee is $25 per walker. For those who register by paper or on the day of the event, the registration fee is $35. Children 10 and under are free. Online registration is now available at www.nwh.org/hopewalks.

The lead corporate sponsor for HopeWalks is Building #19 with additional sponsors to be announced shortly. Corporate sponsorships are still available. For more information, please contact Haillie MacNeill at (617) 243-5915 or hopewalks@partners.org.

About the Vernon Cancer Center

The Joan and James Vernon Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley Hospital offers patients an entire realm of cancer care, expert and innovative services and advanced treatment options. Our mission is to deliver comprehensive, compassionate care while providing a sense of hope and comfort to patients and their families. Our team provides personalized care in a private and comfortable setting for cancers such as breast, prostate, lung, colorectal and gynecological malignancies. In addition, benign and malignant blood disorders such as anemia, coagulation disorders, lymphoma, myeloma and leukemia are also treated.

Specialists at the Center work in collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Radiation Oncology, New England Hematology/Oncology Associates (NEHOA) and numerous departments at the Hospital to provide for the specific needs of individual patients.