Jana Piccola Walk 4Love this Sunday
More than 500 members of the Huntington community are expected to gather this coming Sunday morning for the Jana Piccola Walk 4Love in honor of the 2004 Huntington High School graduate who fought two courageous battles against cancer before succumbing to the dastardly disease on October 31, 2008.
The 5K walk/run will benefit pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where Ms. Piccola was treated during her struggle. The Huntington alum had a close-knit group of friends who remain stubbornly loyal to her.
After mourning her loss at age 21 to acute myeloid leukemia, these same friends mobilized and organized the inaugural Walk 4Love last September, which featured a sold-out field of participants.
This year's event will kick-off on Sunday at Mill Dam Park at 9 a.m. The race course will wind along Huntington Harbor on what is expected to be a spectacular late summer morning. An 8:30 a.m. fun run for those aged 12 and younger will precede the walk/run.
On-site registration in the amount of $25 will be also available beginning at 7:30 a.m. in Mill Dam Park. Registration includes a tee-shirt. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age group.
Ms. Piccola's leukemia is believed to have been a delayed side-effect of the chemotherapy and radiation treatments she received during a successful battle against stomach cancer when she was 16 years old.
An energetic and wildly popular Huntington High School teenager, Ms. Piccola played on the varsity field hockey team, participated in various club activities, earned plenty of awards along the way and compiled a solid academic record. She conmpiled an A average at Quinnipiac University where her degree was awarded posthumously.
For more information about the event, or to discuss sponsorship, contact Sean Pawelec (Sean@JanaLeePiccola.org) or Caitlin Latini (Cait.Latini@gmail.com).