Thriving Survivors

Join Us as We Celebrate Nutley Thriving Survivors.

The Nutley Thriving Survivors is a support program for women in Nutley, and their families, who have been affected by breast cancer. Our mission is to assist women going through treatment offering personal support as well as any physically needed assistance, such as transportation and food preparation. We also celebrate the success of these women, whom we call "Thrivers." We see them as role-models of hope. Members and supporters include women who have had breast cancer, as well as men and women who have family and friends who have been affected.

Since 2003, the group has held an annual "Health Walk" through Nutley parks on a Saturday morning in October, followed by a brunch on Sunday morning. In 2008, the walk was moved to the first Friday evening in October. All participants walk through a portion of the park system in Nutley all holding candles. The candlelight walks have included over 500 walkers, and is a breathtaking sight to say the least. The walk concludes on Franklin Avenue, in front of the Nutley Park Oval, where a "party" takes place. Free Hot Dogs and lemon ice are served, and participants enjoy music supplied by a DJ.

The walkers are provided with a Nutley Thriving Survivors shirt. At the end of each walk a short ceremony is held to show support, as well as honor the memory of those who lost their fight. A cherry tree was dedicated to those women the first year, white doves and butterflies were released in each of the subsequent years.

The brunch always highlights a "thriver", by sharing her story. As a guest speaker, we have had Saranne Rothberg from Comedy Cures, Dr. Elisa Santoro, founder of the Breast Center in Livingston and Mrs. Barbara Campisi, the mother of a young woman who lost her fight. We had a fashion show of "Thrivers", with clothing donated by the Dress Barn and most recently presented a video of the program, showing the walk and highlighting "thrivers" and supporters.

Corporate sponsorship from Roche, Nutley Unico and the Nutley Department of Public Affairs, as well as donations from various businesses and supporters, has helped pay for the brunch and the shirts. Not always certain of this funding, the Nutley Thriving Survivors sponsored a golf outing beginning in May, 2004, and has continued till today. The outings were all very successful. It is an outing that brings together both men and women golfers for a common cause. In the past few years, the organization was able to contribute $1500 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization that has helped many of our "thrivers" through their diagnosis and treatment.