The 1st Annual Walk for Doc- Supporting Esophageal Cancer Research will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018, 11:30 AM EST at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park, 3000 Freys Hill Rd. Louisville, KY 40241. The event aims to raise awareness, encourage early detection and to fund research for esophageal cancer.

Tickets are $20 in advance by Thursday, June 14, 2018, at 3:00 PM EST.

$25 day of the event. Cash and check are the only forms of payment accepted the day of the event.

Bring your family, friends, co-workers and dogs, too! E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park is pet friendly!

Children 12 and under are admitted FREE!*

Purchase event t-shirts here: bonfire.com/down-goes-cancer

*T-shirt sales are independent of event ticket sales. T-shirts do not include a ticket to the event, ticket sales do not include a t-shirt.

About the event:

The 1st Annual Walk for Doc- Supporting Esophageal Cancer Research will benefit The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working to raise awareness, encourage early detection and fund research of esophageal cancer...in hopes of a cure.™

The path at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park is approximately 3.5 miles and guests are encouraged to walk at their own pace.

Guests are asked to park in the big parking in between the play- ground and the indoor/outdoor pool. We will be situated at Shelter # 1, and if there are additional people who want to register day of we will be doing this starting at 11:00 AM. The walk starts at 11:30.

Meryl Levine is the lead coordinator of this event and lost her father to esophageal cancer: “Esophageal Cancer is a preventable, treatable disease if caught early. My dad was a physician, tasked with taking care of people’s feet. He was strong, generous, and smart….a force to be reckoned with before cancer brought him and us to our knees. I won’t go into how my brother had to clean the blood off the bathroom floor, as he lay in a hospital bed. I won’t tell you how difficult it was to see my once proud father have trouble just getting out of bed. I also won’t tell you how it wasn’t cancer that killed my dad…it was the treatment that, in the end, got him. We need to find a better way of treating and battling cancer. Chemo is toxic and kills not only cancer cells but healthy cells as well. Through research, we may one day win this fight. If I can help prevent one family from having to experience the pain and degradation my family went through, then my father’s fight to live was worthwhile. And the fight that was his is now mine. I gladly accept this challenge.”

In 2015, The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation awarded esophageal cancer research funding for the very first time! Since then over 20 requests have been made for esophageal cancer research funding. With your support and generosity, the charity hopes to again fund research again. The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation also raised national AND international awareness. Your continued support directly impacts and sustains this mission!

Ready to make an even bigger impact?

When you register for the event, you will be asked if you'd like to create your own fundraising page. This is a great way to help raise more awareness of esophageal cancer and funding for this life-saving mission.

Registration is NOT required to make a custom fundraising page. To learn more and get started, click here.

Can't make it? Here are other ways to get involved:

If you are unable to attend the event, there are many other ways in which you can make a difference and support this mission!

• Donate: Support a team or individual fundraiser, click here.

• Fundraise: Create your own custom fundraising page, click here.

• Give: Make a one-time or recurring donation, visit: SALGI.org/donate.

• Sponsor: Learn about sponsorship opportunities for the event, click here.

• In-Kind Donation: Fill out our in-kind donation form, click here.

Learn the facts about esophageal cancer

-Esophageal cancer has increased over 600% and is considered one of the fastest growing cancer in the US.

-Risk factors include:

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD, acid reflux, chronic heartburn),

• obesity,

• poor nutrition,

• tobacco use,

• excessive alcohol use,

• Barrett’s esophagus.

-As one of the deadliest cancers, esophageal cancer has an overall 5 year survival rate of only 18.8%.

-There are no routine or standard screenings to improve early detection of esophageal cancer.

-Symptoms often arise late, once the cancer is considered advanced or “distant” (spread to lymph nodes and other organs.)

-Stage IV esophageal cancer has a survival rate of only 4.6%.

-Despite these facts, esophageal cancer research is extremely underfunded.

Make a difference!

Join The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation to help make a difference against esophageal cancer. Whether you walk, volunteer, sponsor or donate, your involvement will directly support this life-saving mission. Thank you!

Waiver: In consideration of my participation in the The 1st Annual Walk for Doc- Supporting Esophageal Cancer Research and/or participation of another individual(s) or as a parent and/or guardian of a child or children age 12 and under, hereby for myself, my heirs and administrators assume any and all risks which might be associated with The 1st Annual Walk for Doc- Supporting Esophageal Cancer Research event supporting The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation. Hereinafter the event, 1st Annual Walk for Doc- Supporting Esophageal Cancer Research, will be referred to as "the event." I waive any and all rights and claims for injuries or damages which I may have against the organizers, volunteers, beneficiaries and sponsors of the event - I hold harmless The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation, their representatives, successors and assigns for any and all injuries or damages of any kind whatsoever suffered by me or those I have registered as a result of taking part in the event and any related activities. With participation, I also allow The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation to use my photo, my name and also for those I am registering, in any advertising, marketing and/or promotional material. No refunds will be issued for this event. All children must register for the event either online, by email or in person on the day of the event. A party's failure or neglect to acknowledge this waiver does not hold The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation or any of its representatives and/or successors responsible for any injuries and/or losses due to participation in the event.

*Children 12 and under are admitted free to The 1st Annual Walk for Doc- Supporting Esophageal Cancer Research. All children must be registered online by a parent and/or legal guardian in order to participate in the event.

*Cash and check are the only forms of payment accepted the day of the event.

*$20 in advance by Thursday, June 14, 2018, at 3:00 PM EST.

*Processing fee on tickets purchased through crowdrise and/or eventbrite.

+For more information and sources, please visit our Facts and Statistics pages.

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. salgi.org Mailing address: PO Box 1912, East Greenwich, RI, 02818.