Arnone Report: Pound the Pavement for Purple

By Tom Arnone, Monmouth County Freeholder Director

I would like to wish everyone a happy fall season – now that it’s beginning to finally feel a little cooler outside.

I’d like to focus on one topic in particular for this week’s letter and that is the upcoming Pound the Pavement for Purple 5k and 2-mile walk in Neptune and Neptune City this Saturday, October 12^th. This annual race is presented by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Neptune Township Committee.

Proceeds from the race will once again support the Lustgarten Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer, as well as providing information to patients and their caregivers. The Foundation was named in honor of Marc Lustgarten, a former Cablevision vice chairman who was diagnosed with the disease and died in 1999. Since its inception, Lustgarten Foundation has directed $186 million to pancreatic cancer research and has assembled the best scientific minds with the hope that one day, a cure can be found.

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and is the deadliest major cancer, with a five-year survival rate of just 9 percent, according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. In 2019, it is predicted that more than 56,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and almost 46,000 people will die from pancreatic cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 1,300 New Jersey residents will die from this disease this year.

I have seen firsthand how devastating this disease can be to patients and their families. As a co-founder of this run, it is my mission to raise awareness and funds for research to extend and improve the quality of life for those diagnosed.

Participants can either register online or on the day of the race, starting at 8:30 a.m. at The Headliner, located at 1401 Highway 35 in Neptune. The 5k run will start at 10 a.m. and the 2 mile walk will start at 10:15 a.m. To register online, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Neptune/PoundthePavementforPurple.

For more information on the Pound for Pavement for Purple 5k Run/ 2 Mile Walk, please send an email to [email protected].

I hope you will be able to join me and my fellow race committee members this Saturday morning to support a great cause.