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The 28th annual UMass Cancer Walk raised more than $500,000 to support cancer research and clinical trials at UMass Chan Medical School, despite the cancellation of the event due to the nor’easter which brought heavy rain and strong winds.
UMass Chan made the difficult decision to cancel the event, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27, after careful consideration and consultation with Worcester public safety officials. The UMass Cancer Walk will not be rescheduled due to the scale and logistics of the event. UMass Chan will explore other ways to recognize the sponsors, cancer survivors, walk teams and volunteers who helped make this year’s event a fundraising success.
Since its inception in 1999, the UMass Cancer Walk has raised more than $18 million to support cancer research at UMass Chan. Every dollar raised through the event supports cancer research and clinical trials, helping researchers advance new approaches to cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment.
More than 150 clinical trials are underway at UMass Chan, providing patients with access to potentially lifesaving therapies while helping researchers develop new treatments and improve outcomes.
For Shrewsbury resident Debra Paciello, a two-time breast cancer survivor and longtime UMass Cancer Walk supporter, the event is deeply personal. Paciello was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2010 and underwent chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In 2023, she was diagnosed with a second primary cancer in her other breast and underwent another round of intensive treatment.
Paciello, who leads the UMass Cancer Walk team at Central One Federal Credit Union, had planned to lead this year’s survivor lap.
“It’s so important that the funds we raise stay here in the community,” Paciello said. “You can donate to national cancer organizations that are doing great work, but that money does not stay in Central Massachusetts.”
Paciello said her experiences with cancer have deepened her appreciation for the connection between scientific discovery at UMass Chan and patient care at UMass Memorial Health.
“The local medical community has done amazing things for me and my family,” she said. “And I know that it’s connected to the research happening at UMass Chan, which is essential to developing more effective treatments.”
Sutton resident Phil Berube also knows firsthand the impact of cancer research. Nearly four years ago, Berube, 75, was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer that had spread to the bones in his spine and neck. He enrolled in a clinical trial at UMass Chan and received leading-edge treatment. Recent scans have shown no detectable cancer.
“We’re fortunate to have this level of research and care right here in our backyard,” Berube said. “The work being done at UMass Chan gives people hope. That’s why supporting cancer research is so important.”
Berube continues to perform as a bassist and vocalist with Beatle Memories, the Beatles tribute band he co-founded. The band had been scheduled to perform at this year’s UMass Cancer Walk.
“Research is important because it gives people hope and gives doctors more ways to help patients,” Berube said.
Longtime supporters like Grafton resident Elaine Urban also have personal reasons for participating. Her team, Smile … There’s Hope!, has raised more than $80,000 for research efforts at UMass Chan since 2009. Urban’s team was first inspired to walk by her sister-in-law’s diagnosis of aggressive Burkitt lymphoma during pregnancy. Her sister-in-law is now a cancer survivor.
“I continue to fundraise so that researchers at UMass Chan can pursue better cancer treatments and help more patients become cancer-free,” Urban said.
To learn more about the UMass Cancer Walk or support cancer research at UMass Chan, visit umasscancerwalk.org. Fundraising remains open through December.
