New Jersey Unites to End Lung Cancer at LUNG FORCE Walk on September 26

The American Lung Association in New Jersey is inviting the community to unite as one mighty force for lung health by participating in the LUNG FORCE Walk on Saturday, September 26, 2026 starting at 9:30 a.m. The 12th annual event will take place at TD Bank Ballpark, home of the Somerset Patriots, in Bridgewater. More than 800 participants are expected to walk toward a fundraising goal of $130,000, to help advance life-saving research, education, advocacy and a future free of lung disease and lung cancer.

This year, the event will recognize Dr. Missak Haigentz as our 2026 LUNG FORCE Walk Medical Honoree. As Chief of Thoracic Medical Oncology and Chief of Head & Neck Medical Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health, Dr. Haigentz empowers patients to obtain the best treatment approach, provide expert care and be their advocate.

The LUNG FORCE Walk New Jersey is a celebratory and welcoming event that provides critical funds for lifesaving research, early detection initiatives, programs and services to help achieve a world free of lung cancer and lung disease. It is also an occasion to honor the memory of those we’ve lost to lung cancer and to lift up those who need our support.

Registration is now open at LUNGFORCE.org/newjersey.

“We are calling on our community to join us to help put an end to lung cancer and lung disease one step at a time,” said Erica Masin, Executive Director at the Lung Association. “Thanks to the dedicated support of our participants, volunteers and sponsors, the Bridgewater LUNG FORCE Walk has raised over $1 million since 2015 to help end lung cancer. Nationally, LUNG FORCE has raised more than $35 million for lifesaving lung cancer research. Please join us to keep up the momentum and save more lives.”

“I am honored to be recognized as the 2026 LUNG FORCE Walk Medical Honoree on behalf of my multidisciplinary team at the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and my patients, stated Dr. Missak Haigentz. Together we can conquer a disease that impacts so many.”

Dr. Haigentz’s expertise is focused on the care of patients with thoracic cancer (including lung and thymus cancers, as well as mesothelioma) and head & neck cancers (including cancers of the mouth and throat, voice box, sinuses, salivary gland, and thyroid). Dr. Haigentz and his team provide patients with the most advanced treatment options close to home.  A proud New Jersey resident for 35 years, he received his medical degree at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School (now Rutgers), completed residency training in internal medicine at New Jersey Medical School and a fellowship in hematology/oncology at New York University School of Medicine. “It’s an honor to impact the future of lung cancer care in our state.”

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in New Jersey and across the U.S. Someone is diagnosed with the disease about every two minutes. But there is hope. More people are surviving lung cancer due to increased awareness and advancements in detection and treatment. The five-year survival rate has increased to nearly 30%, which is a 26% increase over the last five years. Funding research into new treatments and potential cures, raising awareness of lung cancer screening and reducing stigma around the disease are key to saving lives.

Thank you to our local LUNG FORCE Walk sponsors, including Johnson and Johnson, RWJBarnabas Health/Rutgers Cancer Institute and Atlantic Health.