WATERTOWN, Mass. – The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) held its sixth annual New England Walk of Life on September 23, garnering enthusiastic community support. The eagerly anticipated walkathon, which took place in Watertown, drew the participation of numerous community organizations and a large number of young people, including students from local schools and universities.
As in previous years, Walk of Life received major corporate sponsorship from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Other sponsors and supporters included the Armenian-American Pharmacists’ Association, PROMETRIKA LLC of Cambridge, Watertown Savings Bank, several other local businesses, the Armenian Tree Project, and the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC).
During the walkathon’s opening ceremony, held at ACEC, lead marshal Alex Antounian delivered the opening remarks and introduced the event’s guest speaker, Dr. David Weinstock. An Associate Professor of Medicine in the Medical Oncology Department at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an attending physician on Bone Marrow Transplant inpatient service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Weinstock commended the walkers for their very important contribution in raising awareness and funds to help save lives.
The 2.2-mile walk concluded at Watertown Square, where participants enjoyed great music, dancing, and food, along with thousands of people attending the annual Faire on the Square festival.
During the closing ceremony, Shant Der Torossian of the New England Walk of Life Committee said, “It’s amazing to see so many community organizations and individuals come together again today to promote and participate in this walkathon. Some of you have been with us since day one. We couldn’t do this without you!â€
