By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA — Dozens turned out to VFW Post 9594 last weekend for the fourth annual breast cancer walk to show their support for survivors, raise awareness and help fund cutting-edge research.
The event is held each year by the VFW Auxiliary.
“We raise money and each year we allocate where those funds will go,” event organizer Lori Nunziato said. “This year a portion of them will be allocated to the Triple Negative Research Foundation. They are close to coming out with a vaccine and we feel it is important to give money to research this year. We vote on that as a group — our organization determines where those funds will go and that is Triple Negative this year.”
Triple negative is a form of breast cancer that has a poorer prognosis than other breast cancers, but the foundation is on the cutting edge of research to find treatments to improve survival rates.
“Triple negative breast cancer is a cancer that is not fed by hormones and it has fewer treatment options than hormone-driven breast cancers. It has a poorer prognosis and it’s much more rare,” said Kim Alberts, whose mother is an event organizer. “It tends to be prevalent in younger populations — younger women, women of color — and it has a poorer prognosis. Twenty years ago, you were told to go home and get your affairs in order — there really wasn’t much they could do for you, but now, with Keytruda, which is a new immunotherapy, there is much more that they can do for you early on, before it has metastasized.”
Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
The Triple Negative Research Foundation is looking into ways to improve survival rates and, hopefully, one day provide a vaccine to individuals with a history of this form of cancer.
“As of right now, the research shows that if you have triple negative breast cancer that is beyond your breast, your chances of survival are 60%,” Alberts said. “However, with this new treatment regimen called Keynote 522, which adds chemotherapy and immunotherapy and radiation, those statistics are better.”
The regimen is so new that researchers don’t have the five-year survival rates, but the chances of three-year survival are 85% compared to 60% prior to the development of this treatment option, Alberts said.
A vaccine is also in trial right now that could one day “teach” the body to kill the cancer should it come back.
For the walk’s organizers, the annual event helps to keep the community informed about breast cancer.
“We think it’s important to bring breast cancer awareness to a community,” Nunziato said. “There are a lot of people in our community that have had it, and we think this is important to do.”
Each year, the walk raises around $4,000 through the sale of raffle tickets for baskets, a bake sale, lemonade stand and more. The local fire company also did its part.
“The Ravena Fire Company has played a big part in this,” Nunziato said. “They are donating the money they raise through the sale of hot dogs and hamburgers today. There is no cost, but they do have a free will offering that will be donated to the breast cancer fundraiser.”
