History of Step It Up For A Cure
From L to R: Judy Rockafellow, Lynn Platt, Mary Pettinaro
In the fall of 2009, three individuals discovered an unlikely and unfortunate bond that would change their lives forever. Through the John Hopkins Discussion Board for Pancreatic Cancer, these three ladies discovered that each of them had something in common -- they were all from the Rochester area, and all three were fighting pancreatic cancer in some way. Two of the women had lost loved ones, and one had a loved one fighting the disease. They discovered that each had a strong and fervent desire to battle back and fight this horrendous and dreadful disease that had impacted their families and loved ones. Judy Rockafellow lost her husband in June 2009; Lynn Platt recently lost her mother in July 2010; Mary Pettinaro lost her brother in September 2009. They decided to form a volunteer committee along with other individuals from around the Greater Rochester area who have been impacted by pancreatic cancer in some way. Their mission has been to turn their personal pain into something meaningful and helpful in the fight against pancreatic cancer. They hope to make a difference in people’s lives and in generations to come by raising the awareness and raising funds to help the research at the Wilmot Cancer Center. They are determined to make the Step It Up For a Cure, The Path is Research Walk an annual event and not let their cause or their loved ones be forgotten!
