Seventh annual 'Walk for Hope' set for June 8

By Jason Cohen
May 23, 2008

When Janna Zuckerman became a bat mitzvah in 2002 she started the Michelle Offsie Walk for Hope as her bat mitzvah project. 

Offsie was the bookkeeper at the JCC in Edison and a close family friend of the Zuckermans. She died in 2002 from breast cancer at the age of 46. This year, June 8 will mark the seventh year that Janna has led the Walk for Hope in dedication to Offsie and the fight against breast cancer.   

Zuckerman said that as her bat mitzvah project, she had wanted to do something for breast cancer.

"I called organizations asking if there was anything I could do to assist in awareness and raising money for breast cancer," Zuckerman said. "They said I was only 12 and what could I do? Finally, I called City of Hope and they said that I could help out. I told them I wanted to start my own walk in Edison where I was from and because that's where Michelle was from. They said sure and helped me start the walk." 

Zuckerman said for the first two years of the walk, the event was a second job for her, her parents, Howard and Karen, and her brother, Mitchell.

"After that, we realized that we needed a committee of volunteers," she said.

The Zuckermans were able to spread the word to all of the elementary, middle, and high schools in Edison. Also, throughout Edison they placed huge banners stretched between telephone poles along the road promoting the walk.  

"This year we hope to have 200,000 people at the walk," Zuckerman said.

Michele DiVeterano, event coordinator for the City of Hope in Philadelphia, told The Jewish State that the majority of the credit for the walk's success goes to the committees and the schools.  

"The walk for hope is very heavily supported by Mayor Jun Choi, Superintendent John DiMuzio and teachers. Overall, the numbers are growing, but schools have a lot to do with it," DiVeterano said.  

Following in Zuckerman's footsteps were friends of hers' brother and sister, Ian and Alyssa Targovnik, who hold similar walks at Marlboro High School. 

DiVeterano also said that the Walk in Edison over the past six years has raised $500,000 toward breast cancer research.

According to DiVeterano, Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer benefits City of Hope. City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases. It is designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, awarded only to those institutions conducting the most promising, innovative research, including education and care. It's ranked among America's best hospitals in cancer and urology by U.S. News & World Report.

Additionally, four of the world's most widely used cancer treatment drugs were developed from research conducted at City of Hope: Herceptin for breast cancer, Rituxan for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Avastin for colorectal cancer, and Erbitux for colorectal cancer.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women and the second most common cancer among women as well.   

The walk starts at the JCC in Edison on Oak Tree Road and spans for four miles to Temple Neve Shalom on Grove Avenue in Metuchen. People have the option to run or walk four miles or simply just run or walk the two miles to Neve Shalom. When it first started, there were only 260 participants in the walk, but as of last year it had grown to 2,000 people. 

Zuckerman currently attends Towson University. She was co-president of the United Synagogue Youth chapter at Neve Shalom, taught at the synagogue's religious school, was president of her high school's Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Club, and in 2003, due to her outstanding efforts in the walk she was one of two recipients of the Prudential Spirit Community award.

She has continued her efforts to raise money and awareness for breast cancer even while at Towson University.

"I started Towson Goes Pink, which is a group at Towson that raises awareness and money for the city of hope and its goal is to raise $1 million," Zuckerman said. "Also, it was just approved in my last week of school."

Many people don't realize how many families are affected by breast cancer, Zuckerman said.

"Every dollar that is raised is put toward a good cause," Zuckerman said. 

Zuckerman said seeing everyone at the walk is very rewarding.

"I love the feeling I get," Zuckerman said. "Michelle's name lives on; it is a terrible illness and the best feeling is seeing everyone walk and have the same common goal," she said.  

Zuckerman said the event isn't just a walk.

"We try to make it a fun event with entertainment, food by local restaurants like Applebee's," she said. "People began to realize how much fun it is."

Zuckerman said she never thought the walk would grow to be this big.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would be this successful and this big and I owe it all to my parents and the community because without their support none of this would have happened," she said.

Overall, the walk's ultimate goal is to find a cure for breast cancer.

"I want to continue running the walk until we find a cure and I think one day we will," Zuckerman said.