Hope Walks Event Sept. 26 Aids Vernon Cancer Center

The Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation will hold the first HopeWalks charity walk Sunday, Sept. 26 to benefit services at the Vernon Cancer Center.

HopeWalks is a 3.5 mile walk to benefit the Integrative Support Services offered at the 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.

"We are very excited about HopeWalks and look forward to bringing the community together to benefit the Vernon Cancer Center," said Joan Archer, Vice President, Development, Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation. "Proceeds from this exciting event will help ensure that we can continue to offer Integrative Support Services to all our cancer patients and their families to assist them in coping with this disease."

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, Brighamand 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 is at 9 a.m. with the walk beginning at 10 a.m. Susan Wornick, of WCVB TV 5, will be the Honorary Master of Ceremonies. Walkers and their families will enjoy a hospitality tent, entertainment, food, and prizes given to largest teams and participants who raise the most money. There is no minimum donation amount required to participate. All walkers who raise $500+ are considered "Super" walkers, and those who raise $1,000+ are considered "Power" walkers.

The online registration fee is $20 per walker. For those who register by paper or on the day of the event, the registration fee is $25. Children 12 and under are free. All registered walkers will receive a HopeWalks t-shirt. Teams, individual walkers, and virtual walkers (those who cannot walk on the event day itself) can register online.

The lead corporate sponsor for HopeWalks is Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, and other sponsors include Whole Foods, Arbella Insurance Group, KODA Enterprises Group, Citizens Bank, Chubb Insurance, Hanover Insurance Group, Hint, Inc., The Kraematon Group, Inc., Plymouth Rock Assurance, and Vermont Mutual Insurance Group. Additional corporate sponsorships are still available. For more information, please contact Haillie MacNeill at 617-243-5491 or hopewalks@partners.org.