Lahey Cancer Institute 5K Raises $279,000 to Advance Cancer Services, Resources in the Community

Burlington, Mass. – More than 1,250 participants stepped up to support the Lahey Cancer Institute 5K Walk & Run on June 11, raising over $279,000 to fund services and resources for the care of cancer patients and their families.

The fundraising event, held at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, serves to support the Lahey Cancer Institute’s patients, celebrate its survivors, remember those who have been lost, and highlight its talented professional team of care providers.

In its 17 years, the event has raised nearly $4 million to benefit the programs and initiatives across the five Lahey Cancer Institute hospitals and outpatient treatment facilities, which include Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington; Lahey Medical Center, Peabody; Beverly Hospital; Addison Gilbert Hospital, Gloucester; and Winchester Hospital. The funds have supported social work and navigation services, cancer support groups such as the Survivorship Program, integrative therapies such as massage and acupuncture, and more. Lahey Cancer Institute diagnoses and treats more than 5,000 new patients each year.

“At Lahey Cancer Institute, caring for our patients and providing them with the best possible outcomes is our highest priority,” said Paul J. Hesketh, MD, FASCO, Director of Lahey Cancer Institute and of the Sophia Gordon Cancer Center and Thoracic Oncology at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington. “Lahey Cancer Institute enables access to novel therapies, clinical trials, collective expertise and second opinions with national health care leaders, allowing patients to receive comprehensive care from our integrated team in the community.”

In all, 66 teams participated in the 2023 event. The top fundraising teams were Cancer Crusaders, Jean’s Angels, Team True North, Radiate Love and Team Support Squad. Judy Lamarre of Jean’s Angels was the top individual fundraiser, collecting $20,092 for the cause.

The top male and female finishers were Frank May of Somerville and Erica Morin of West Newton. The top male and female cancer survivor runners were Winston Ho of Norwood and Sara O’Brien of Billerica.

“We are thankful to all of our participants, health care providers, donors and sponsors for making this annual community event a huge success and advancing the care we are able to provide our patients and their families,” Dr. Hesketh said.

About Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC) is a world-renowned tertiary academic medical center known for its innovative technology, pioneering medical treatments and leading-edge research. As a physician-led hospital, LHMC offers a legacy of care and education committed to putting the patient at the center through a multidisciplinary, collaborative and team-based approach. LHMC’s research efforts and clinical trials cross numerous medical disciplines, providing patients with access to the latest options in treatment and care.

LHMC is a part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, a health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,700 physicians and 39,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.