WANTAGH, NEW YORK—On Sunday, May 16, crowds converged on Jones Beach State Park – but not for a leisurely day of sunbathing. Instead, these 4,000 women, men and children donned their sneakers and crossed the boardwalk as participants in Every Woman Matters: A Walk for Women and Their Families, which raised more than $500,000 for the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s new Katz Institute for Women’s Health and Katz Women’s Hospital.

The resounding success of the first Every Woman Matters Walk is thanks in part to the generosity of title sponsor Dottie Herman and Prudential Douglas Elliman, whose employees formed an impressive number of teams and raised significant funds. Also playing a major role in both fundraising and outreach was the Commerce & Industry Council (CIC), a group of business professionals and philanthropists who co-hosted the walk with North Shore-LIJ.

“The Every Woman Matters Walk was a truly inspirational day to celebrate women's health and wellness, and its success will have far-reaching effects on the community,” said Michael J. Dowling, president and chief executive officer of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. “The more than $500,000 raised through this walk will benefit the health system’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health – which brings together the many women’s services North Shore-LIJ currently offers – and the new Katz Women’s Hospital now under construction, where medical care will be delivered with service, comfort and elegance to women.”

Before setting off on their 3.1-mile journey, participants received educational materials and massages inside of the Healthy Living Exhibition and Showcase tent, enjoyed healthy refreshments courtesy of several sponsors, and were motivated by speeches from a number of prominent community members, including Every Woman Matters Walk Spokeswoman Lolita Lopez of WPIX News.

“It was incredibly gratifying to see this many people come together in support of a cause that is so important to the entire community,” said Saul Katz, chairman of North Shore-LIJ's Board of Trustees. “It is the goal of the North Shore-LIJ Health System to transform women’s health services in the New York metropolitan area, and the Every Woman Matters Walk has proven to be a terrific step in the right direction.”

Construction is progressing on the Katz Women’s Hospital at both LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park and North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. In state-of-the-art spaces specially designed for women, the Katz Women’s Hospital will offer a full range of obstetrical and gynecological services. At the same time, North Shore-LIJ is developing the Katz Institute for Women’s Health to provide the community with informative classes, screenings, wellness programs and clinical trials devoted to discovering treatments and cures for a wide range of conditions affecting women.

Contact: Marisa Fedele
516-465-2557
mfedele@nshs.edu