Mountains of Hope Cancer Awareness Event

BY COLLETTE ONG To the Members of Pocono Farms Country Club, to the Board of Directors and Staff of Pocono Farms Country Club, to anyone who touched or participated in the 1st Annual Mountains of Hope Cancer Awareness Event in any way… I want to say THANK YOU! Everyone is impacted by cancer. Often when a cancer diagnosis is made, fear, uncertainty and helplessness can overwhelm us. When my family was affected by this dreadful disease, multiple times over, I too felt helpless, powerless, and scared. Even with my entire career spent in Cancer Clinical Research, I couldn’t stop those feelings… so I needed to do something, something that would help and impact many, my community. The 1st Annual Mountains of Hope Cancer Awareness Event was created. A vision turned into a reality. We stayed the course, waited out the pandemic, were patient and committed and thanks to Pocono Farms we hosted an amazingly successful event! The 1st Annual Mountains of Hope Cancer Awareness Event at Pocono Farms Country Club on Saturday, October 9, 2021 was a celebration of cancer survivors, clinicians, our community, and our healthcare champions. Everyone’s support will now transition to HOPE to those affected by cancer. I had a modest fundraising goal of $10,000, together with all of you we surpassed my 1st goal, 2nd goal and then we surpassed my dream goal. Together we raised $25,000. All of that money, 100% will be returned to Lehigh Valley Health Network and the Dale & Frances Hughes Cancer Center in Stroudsburg, targeted to cancer clinical trials. A special thank you to all our colleagues at Lehigh Valley Health Network, LVHN Pocono Foundation, LVHN Dale & Frances Hughes Cancer Center, to our local community businesses who supported our event, to our family, friends and everyone who touched this event in some way, big or small, for making this vision a reality. A special thank you to Dr. Suresh Nair, Physician-in-Chief, LVHN Cancer Institute who helped bring my vision to a reality, without his passion and commitment to improving cancer care in our communities. Another special thank you to Katrina Weithman, you saw my vision and understood what I was hoping for, and truly allowed it to happen. I could not have done this without you, your expertise, professionalism, and support were truly a gift! To everyone especially my family, cancer hurts and for me this is a road to recovering from our losses. It was Dad and Shaun that brought this vision to life and thank you for supporting me in making them proud. For everyone within Pocono Farms, always know I am here working for us in growing our cancer clinical trials resources in the Poconos. Until next year… and the 2nd Annual Mountains of Hope Cancer Awareness Event! Thank you!

From left to right: Luminaries on the lake, the Pocono Duo during the Cocktail Hour, the over 20 Silent Auction items and over 30 amazing basket raffles.

Our student volunteers, guests, and the Event in action.