Fifth annual NCH Lung Run/Walk continues virtually

Participate at the location of your choice to support lung cancer patients at NCH

Amy Jo Steinbruecker

Conditioned runners and everyday joggers and walkers are encouraged to participate in the 2021 virtual "NCH Pairing Up to Beat Lung Cancer" 5k or 1 mile walk/run event, to support people living with lung cancer and remember those lost to the disease.

"Lung cancer has a stigma," says NCH Lung Cancer Patient Navigator Juli Aistars, who founded the event in 2017 with her husband Val. "Lung cancer doesn't get the same amount of attention as other cancers, although it is the deadliest of all cancers. I wanted to do something to help people and to raise awareness that no one deserves to have lung cancer, whether they smoked or not."

For the 5K or 1 mile event, participants can run or walk alone or as part of a two-person team (lungs come in pairs after all!) in the "twosome" division. Partners must register separately. Twosomes can be any gender combination.

The post-event celebration and lung cancer survivor event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, November 6 at Deer Grove East, Picnic Grove #4, in Palatine. There will be a memorial one-mile informal walk with signs along the way remembering those lost to lung cancer, designed by their own family and friends.

Finisher medals and T-shirts will be available at the post-event celebration or at Northwest Community Hospital following the event. Medals and T-shirts also can be mailed. Everyone is who registered by Oct. 1, will get an event T-shirt, and registrants who submit their results online will receive finisher's medals.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women. More people lose their lives to lung cancer than to colon, breast and prostate cancer combined. Low dose CT scans can detect lung cancer in its early stages, allowing for more treatment options and making the disease much more curable. Learn more at nch.org/lung.

One hundred percent of the profit from the race, after expenses, goes to the NCH Foundation Lung Cancer Fund, which has been providing compassionate financial assistance since 2017 for those fighting lung cancer who need help with basic living expenses while undergoing treatment at NCH. If you are not able to run or walk a 5K or 1 mile in the outdoor place of your choice, you may still help by designating a donation directly to the NCH Foundation Lung Cancer Fund.

To register or for more information, visit beatlungcancer5k.com.

About Northwest Community Healthcare

In January 2021, Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) joined NorthShore University HealthSystem. The NCH Arlington Heights campus features a 509-bed hospital with a Level II Trauma Center, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and dedicated pediatric emergency department. Throughout the Northwest suburbs, NCH has 23 doctor's offices; five immediate care centers; seven physical rehabilitation sites; and 13 lab locations. For a comprehensive listing of physicians and programs visit nch.org.

Headquartered in Evanston, NorthShore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system that includes 6 hospitals: Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park, Skokie, Swedish and now NCH. Together, the NorthShore system provides clinical excellence and community-focused care across Chicagoland. NorthShore consistently ranks as a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital in the United States, with an established reputation for exceptional patient care and is a national pioneer in the implementation of advanced health information technology. For more information, please visit NorthShore.org and SwedishCovenant.org.