Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Ready For Research Walk At Rye Playland

PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- Port Chester resident Barbara Nusbaum will join more than 1,000 Westchester and surrounding area residents in support of her battle against pancreatic cancer by participating in The Lustgarten Foundation’s sixth annual Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk.

Barbara Nusbaum with Team Babs at last years Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk. This years sixth annual Lustgarten Foundation Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk will be at Rye Playland Park April 19.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy of The Lustgarten Foundation*

Barbara Nusbaum of Port Chester, a pancreatic cancer survivor, will walk at The Lustgarten Foundations Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk April 19.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy of Barbara Nusbaum*

Cassandra Huerta

04/09/2015 4:00 a.m.

The walk will be held Sunday, April 19, at Rye Playland Park in Rye. The Lustgarten Foundation is the nation’s largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Due to Cablevision’s support of the foundation, 100 percent of every dollar Nusbaum and her fellow walkers raise will go directly to pancreatic cancer research.

In 2007, Nusbaum was a healthy and active wife, mother and grandmother when she began to experience some stomach problems and then one day her skin became jaundiced. After an emergency hospital visit and CT scan, the diagnosis shocked her: stage four pancreatic cancer. Despite the disease's grim statistics, as well as subsequent surgeries, chemotherapy and physical side effects, Nusbaum has remained steadfast in her determination she will survive. Once her daughter Staci, motivated by her mother's optimistic spirit, learned about the foundation's Westchester Walk that same year, she immediately signed up her mother and family as Team "Babs" for the first time to walk in support of other recently diagnosed patients.

Team "Babs" has been participating every year since, with more than 30 family members and friends united to give hope to others and raise funds to advance research. Nusbaum believes participating in the walk is an inspirational way to celebrate her survival.

“Barbara is beating the odds and offers tremendous hope for others who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” said Kerri Kaplan, executive director and chief operating officer of The Lustgarten Foundation. “Research is our best weapon in the fight against this deadly disease and the foundation’s walks help raise awareness and funding, with every dollar raised going directly to research that could one day help save lives.”

The Lustgarten Foundation’s Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk at Rye Playland Park will begin at 9 a.m. with registration starting at 8 a.m. For more information about the walk or to register, please visit www.curePC.org.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Rye and receive free news updates.