Hunts Point’s Team Baldor rejoins Lustgarten’s NYC Walk

A Bronx-based company will soon rejoin the fight against pancreatic cancer as they walk in memory of their late founder.

Christine Murphy and more than 75 employees of Baldor Speciality Foods, located in Hunts Point, will participate in the upcoming 5th Annual Lustgarten Foundation’s New York City Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk to honor her late father-in-law, Kevin Murphy, Baldor’s former chief executive officer and owner.

The event will be held at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park on Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 a.m. with registration set for 8 a.m.

For more information and to register, visit www.curePC.org.

Murphy described Kevin as being a super ambitious business owner renowned for his extreme generosity and kindness.

She added Kevin founded Baldor in 1991 and since then the company has grown to over 800 employees supplying high-end fruits and vegetables to restaurants, hospitals, schools, and grocery stores throughout the five boroughs.

In 2011, Kevin visited a doctor to investigate digestion issues and was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.

He was only given three to six months to live, but defied expectations by beating the disease for two years. Kevin, 57, passed away on January 31, 2013.

Inspired by Kevin’s strength and determination, Murphy and her husband, TJ established Team Baldor, composed of family, friends, and employees to enlist in the Foundation’s NYC Walk for the first time last year.

Believing it was a great experience for everyone, Murphy and TJ decided to have Team Baldor return this year to help make a difference in this ongoing fight.

“This has become a really nice event not just to honor my late father-in-law’s memory and strength, but also as an exceptional way for our employees to come together to build stronger relationships and teamwork skills,” Murphy explained.

“We admire Christine and the Baldor team’s commitment to the fight against pancreatic cancer in honor of Kevin. Research offers hope that one day, early detection of pancreatic cancer will require nothing more than a routine blood test and that better treatments can be found eventually leading to a cure,” Kerri Kaplan, The Lustgarten Foundation’s executive director and chief operating officer, expressed.

More than 1,000 participants are expected for this year’s NYC Walk and since its inception more than $1.4 million has been directed in support of promising pancreatic cancer research studies.

Swift and silent, pancreatic cancer often remains undetected until far too late and is the 4th-leading cause of cancer death in the nation.

Currently, there are neither any early detection tests nor any long-term treatments to combat the disease and unless the cancer is surgically removed at its earliest stages, there is also no cure.

Founded in 1998, the Lustgarten Foundation is America’s largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research and has directed more than $110 million toward important studies at leading research institutions worldwide.

Due to Cablevision Systems Corporation’s support, 100% of every dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly toward researching a cure.

Murphy revealed Team Baldor will match what they raise for this event, which will go toward the Foundation’s research.

If interested, call (516) 803-2304 or (866) 789-1000.