Jana Piccola 5K Walk-Run on Sunday Sept. 26
Jana Piccola, a 2004 graduate of Huntington High School, will never be forgotten by those who knew and loved her. Her short life was such an inspiration that many of her friends and fellow classmates have joined together for the second consecutive year to organize a 5K walk/run in her honor on Sunday, Sept. 26 to benefit pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Ms. Piccola passed away on Oct. 31, 2008 from acute myeloid leukemia. She was 21years old and had initially been diagnosed with cancer in the spring of her junior year of high school. After lengthy treatments drove the disease into remission, she lived a relatively normal life for many years, before becoming ill again as a college senior. She was awarded her bachelor's degree posthumously by Quinnipiac University.
The event will kick-off at Mill Dam Park at 9 a.m. and the race course will include a long scenic stretch along Huntington Harbor. The event is expected to attract 500 participants. An 8:30 a.m. fun run for those aged 12 and younger will precede the walk/run.
Participants can register online at www.active.com. Enter the name "Jana Piccola" in the search bar and then click on the link for the "Jana Piccola Walk 4 Love." The fee for online registration is $20 through Sept. 12. Online registration after that date and on-site registration the day of the event is $25. Registration includes a tee-shirt. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age group.
Ms. Piccola's leukemia was a delayed side-effect of the chemotherapy and radiation treatments she received during a successful battle against stomach cancer as a 16 year old. At Huntington High School, she played on the varsity field hockey team, wrote and directed her class's entry in the Play Fest competition and participated in many clubs, including Make-a-Wish and Students Against Driving Drunk. She earned the Triple C Attorney General's Award as a senior.
At Quinnipiac, Ms. Piccola flourished, compiling an A average and landing internships at an ABC affiliate in New Haven, ABC Network in New York City and the Rachel Ray Show in Manhattan. Even while commuting to Manhattan from Hamden, Connecticut twice a week, she was able to maintain a full course load and keep her spot on the Dean's List.
The walk/run will help benefit a cause close to Ms. Piccola's heart. "People are not aware of the impact pediatric cancer has on society," said Sean V. Pawlec, a Huntington High School alum who joined with Ms. Piccola to raise $30,000 for pediatric cancer research just months prior to her passing. "Currently, one in every 330 children in the United States develops cancer before the age of 19."
Last year's inaugural Walk 4 Love drew a sold-out field of participants. Huntington graduate Caitlin Latini, the event's director, is hoping the same enthusiasm and energy is displayed on Sept. 26.
There are also various event sponsorship opportunities available. For more information about the event or to discuss sponsorship contact Mr. Pawelec (Sean@JanaLeePiccola.org) or Ms. Latini (Cait.Latini@gmail.com).
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