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Health & Fitness

Breathe Deep North Shore Unites Many Communities as One in Fight Against Lung Cancer

On a cold and windy morning last Sunday, over 1,600 runners, walkers and volunteers gathered for Breathe Deep North Shore to raise awareness and research funds for the fight against lung cancer. With 18 north shore communities issuing Breathe Deep North Shore Day proclamations in the weeks prior, this event was an inspiring display of many communities uniting as one for a cause that was important to them. With donations still coming in, the $185,000 fundraising goal has been far exceeded with over $210,000 raised to date for LUNGevity Foundation, the nation’s leading lung cancer research organization.

Astellas Oncology was the event’s Presenting Sponsor and had the largest team with almost 200 participants. U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider fielded a team and led the emotional balloon launch with other elected officials at his side: Illinois Senators Julie Morrison and Daniel Biss; Illinois Representatives Scott Drury, Robyn Gabel, Elaine Nekritz, and Laura Fine; Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal; Bannockburn Trustee Jim Boyle; Glencoe President Larry Levin; Riverwoods Mayor John Norris; and Wheeling President Dean Argiris.

The highlight of the morning's program was when lung cancer survivors were called on stage for a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Lung cancer survivor and Deerfield mom of 4, Jill Feldman, spoke on behalf of all of them, "Cancer knows no boundaries, but neither does the strength of community. Today embodies strength and resilience, and we are so grateful for the compassion it creates, the awareness and funds it raises, the honor it pays to us and our loved ones and the message of hope that it spreads."

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Breathe Deep North Shore was everything its organizers had hoped it would be: a day of meaning and hope where a community came together to help erase the stigma of lung cancer; empower those affected by the disease; and change the course of a disease that takes more lives than the top three cancers combined

Last Sunday the north shore community spent a special morning together that resulted in the funding of two years of lung cancer research -- that's how you MAKE HOPE HAPPEN

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[Photos provided by Brad Floden, Cobalt Photography]

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