Cancer Concern Center Asks Public to Help Raise $50,000 in Marathon

The based in Point Beach, is asking the public for help raising $50,000 in the May 6

Lisa Montalbano, the center's office manager and a Point Beach resident, has her whole family running and involved, and looking for more participation from the community.

While Lisa Montalbano serves as team co-chair with Heather Keefe, Lisa's family will run the half marathon relay.

Lisa Montalbano's husband, Ken Montalbano; their son, Ken Jr.; daughter, Brittany, and brother, Tim McDonough, of Brick, are making the fundraiser a family affair, with the hope that other families will join them.

As a Bronze Charity Partner, the Cancer Concern Center has more than 40 runners and volunteers raising money for local cancer support.

The Cancer Concern Center’s goal is to raise $50,000 because it will cover a full year of operational expenses for the organization which has no paid staff and provides a wide array of support services to cancer patients and survivors.

The Cancer Concern Center also has been accepted into the beneficiaries program of the New Jersey Marathon.

Through this program, the Cancer Concern Center provides a group of volunteers for race weekend and is eligible for a donation from the marathon.

Every dollar donated to the Cancer Concern Center remains with the organization and is utilized for local cancer support.

The Cancer Concern Center is not affiliated with any national groups. The New Jersey Marathon does not take a percentage of the donations.

Business sponsorships of “Team Cancer Concern” start at $500.

This is the current list of sponsors: Bay Head/Mantoloking PBA Local #347; Ray Catena Lexus, Mercedes Benz; Interstate Mechanical Services; Laday, Proske & Associates of Freehold; Lawrence Mayer Wilson Interiors of Brielle; and Salon du Monde, Arnold Avenue, Point Beach.

The New Jersey Marathon at the Shore is comprised of a full marathon, half marathon, and half marathon relay (two runners splitting the half marathon).

The race winds its way from Monmouth Park in Oceanport to Pier Village in Long Branch.

Heather Keefe, a Point Borough resident who is also running the half marathon, is co-chairing "Team Cancer Concern" with Lisa Montalbano. They're working on donations, sponsorships, and volunteers.

Keefe serves as a public relations consultant, grant writer, and Board Member for the Cancer Concern Center.

As the Cancer Concern Center’s office manager, Montalbano supervises all programs and fundraising.

Montalbano said, “The Cancer Concern Center is ecstatic about being selected for the New Jersey Marathon at the Shore.

This is a huge opportunity for us," she continued. "We’re able to raise funds in an entirely different way, with runners and sponsorships. This is the largest fundraiser we’ve ever done, and it’s perfect timing for the 15th anniversary of the Cancer Concern Center.”

The Cancer Concern Center was founded in 1998 by two breast cancer survivors – Lori Jeffries of Brick and Jill McDonough of Lavallette – who had met at a cancer retreat and wanted to establish a permanent place for healing and support.

They envisioned a welcoming home that didn’t feel like a hospital – a convenient place for women and men with cancer to discuss their condition, access resources, and receive non-judgmental support.

Every donation is utilized for support groups, nutritional counseling, massage, meditation, Reiki, yoga and new wigs.

The Cancer Concern Center’s focus is adults with cancer who live in Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant, Bay Head, Brick, and southern Monmouth County.

Programs are open to local cancer survivors regardless of their ability to pay. The Cancer Concern Center imposes no mandatory fees.

As such, fundraising is critical for the Cancer Concern Center to continue operating.

The race course is USAT&T certified and a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. The half marathon is a 13.1-mile loop through Oceanport, Monmouth Beach, and Long Branch.

The full marathon is a one-loop course that also includes Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, Asbury Park, and Ocean Grove. The course has no significant hills, is virtually flat, and draws more than 12,000 runners of all abilities.

To support the Cancer Concern Center as a runner or volunteer, please contact Lisa Montalbano (732-701-0250 or lbano@comcast.net) or visit the Cancer Concern Center’s Facebook page.

To make a donation, please write a check to the Cancer Concern Center and mail it to the center at 1101 Richmond Avenue, Suite 101, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742.

The mission of the Cancer Concern Center is to provide emotional support and wellness programs to women and men affected by cancer.

The Cancer Concern Center was the first non-profit to offer support services to adults with cancer in Northern Ocean County.

It is a member of the Ocean Medical Center’s Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. All contributions are tax-deductible and utilized for local cancer support programs.

Here's a link to the Facebook Event page pertaining to the event:
http://www.facebook.com/events/128098977307929/