The 1st Annual Walk to Remember James Francis Urian- Esophageal Cancer Awareness & Research is hosted by The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation. The in-person event will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2023, 9AM at Rocky Neck State Park in Niantic, CT. Guests can also virtually participate in the event on either Saturday, April 22, 2023, or Sunday, April 23, 2023.

Create a custom fundraising page or donate to the campaign!

Ticket information:

In-person tickets: Tickets are $20 in advance by Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 11:59 PM. Tickets are $25 day of the event. Cash and check are the only forms of payment accepted the day of the event.

Virtual tickets: $20 in advance until Friday, April 21, 2023, at 11:59 PM, EST; Ticket price increases to $25 on Saturday, April 22, 2023, 12:00 AM, EST until Sunday, April 23, 2023, 11:59 PM, EST.

SIGN UP:  To sign up for the event, please click here.
IN-KIND: To make an in-kind donation, please click here.
SPONSOR:  To become an official event sponsor, please click here.

T-Shirts Available

T-shirts for the 1st Annual Walk to Remember James Francis Urian, are $20 and available in both adult and youth sizes.

A percentage of t-shirt sales go directly towards The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation. T-shirts are available until Friday, March 17, 2023.

Please note that purchasing a t-shirt does not include an event ticket.

Click here to get your t-shirt!

About the event:

The 1st Annual Walk to Remember James Francis Urian- Esophageal Cancer Awareness & Research will benefit The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working to raise awareness, encourage early detection, and fund research of esophageal cancer...in hopes of a cure.™

Esophageal Cancer Research:

2015: First esophageal cancer research grant funded for the very first time.

2018: Second esophageal cancer research grant funded.

2022: The Grant Program is opened for the THIRD time! Research funding will be awarded in 2023!

Esophageal Cancer Awareness & Early Detection:

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation has also raised awareness and encouraged early detection both nationally AND internationally since 2011. Your continued support directly impacts and sustains this mission!

In Hopes of a CURE™!

#SalgiWalkJamesUrian

Whether you are participating in-person or virtually, please remember to take pictures during your walk or run! When posting your photos on social media, use the hashtag #SalgiWalkJamesUrian and tag us @SalgiFoundation. Social media pages/profiles must be public for us to view and share. You can also email them to salgifoundation @ gmail . com to be posted!

Virtual event information:

Virtual guests of the 1st Annual Walk to Remember James Francis Urian- Esophageal Cancer Awareness & Research, can participate in their neighborhood, on a trail, bike path, track, by the ocean, river, or wherever guests would like to walk or run. It’s important to remember that by participating in the virtual event guests must still comply with all local social distancing guidelines.

Guests can also bicycle, rollerblade, skateboard, swim, the possibilities are endless! Since the virtual event is not timed, guests are able to participate at their own pace, at any time on Saturday or Sunday.

The event is in loving memory of James Francis Urian

This first annual fundraiser is in honor of James Urian: husband, father, PopPop, brother, uncle, cousin and friend, who passed away from esophageal cancer on April 2, 2022.

Through this first annual event, Jimmy’s family hopes to spread awareness of esophageal cancer, advocate for families facing this disease and raise money to help fund research. Esophageal cancer is currently underfunded. Jimmy’s family hopes that more targeted treatments and immunotherapies will be developed with the help of contributions through Jimmy’s annual walk to remember him.

Jimmy’s journey with esophageal cancer was typical like the many others who suffer from the disease. The worrisome signs of hiccups, heartburn, and reflux were dismissed, and an endoscopy was only scheduled after Jimmy began having difficulty swallowing and keeping food down. On December 27, 2021, Jimmy was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer in two spots, thus beginning his short journey.

Jimmy was the youngest of three children, husband to Dawn, father to Kai-Leigh (Matt) and Justin (Morgan), and PopPop to six beautiful grandchildren: Emmett James, Colton Harris, Hallie Blake, Charlotte Jane, Teagan Rose and Maria Stella. He was a brother to Jeanne (Tom) and Bobby (Claudia), an uncle to several nieces and nephews and friend to many. 

Jimmy had many interests: hunting, gardening, making soupy, dirt bike riding and the list goes on.

Most of all Jimmy is extremely missed by all who knew him, especially his family. He may be gone, but definitely not forgotten.

Learn the facts about esophageal cancer:

-Esophageal cancer has increased over 733% in the past four decades and is considered the fastest growing cancer in the US and western world.

-Risk factors include:

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD, acid reflux, chronic heartburn),
• obesity,
• poor nutrition,
• tobacco use,
• excessive alcohol use,
• Barrett’s esophagus.

-As one of the deadliest cancers, esophageal cancer has a 5-year survival rate of only 20.6%.

-There are no routine or standard screenings to improve early detection of esophageal cancer.

-Symptoms often arise late once the cancer is considered advanced or “distant” (spread to lymph nodes and other organs.)

-Stage IV esophageal cancer has a survival rate of only 5.7%.

-In 2023, an estimated 21,560 will be diagnosed and there will be an estimated 16,120 deaths.

-Despite all these facts, esophageal cancer research is extremely underfunded.

Make a difference!

Join The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation to help make a difference against esophageal cancer. Whether you walk, run, volunteer, sponsor or donate, your involvement will directly support this life-saving mission. Thank you!