Chris Napoli Plans to Give Back by Racing in the 2XU New York City Triathlon to Support Tackle Kids Cancer

Four years after his cancer diagnosis, 24-year old Chris Napoli is registered to race in the 2XU New York City Triathlon on July 1 to support Tackle Kids Cancer, a philanthropic initiative of the Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation dedicated to finding a cure for pediatric cancer.

“This is less about the anniversary of my diagnosis, and more about my appreciation for everyone at the Children’s Cancer Institute at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center who guided me to this point,” Chris says. “I will race in honor of all the friends and families I have met through Tackle Kids Cancer, especially the kids who are still undergoing treatments and those who are no longer with us today.”

Chris was about to return to college for football camp when he received his diagnosis in July 2014.

“I was forced to put aside my regular student-athlete routine to undergo two and a half years of chemotherapy and hospital visits,” Chris says.  “After successfully completing my first year of chemo treatments, I was cleared to return to college, ultimately completing my last few semesters while still undergoing chemo treatments and battling side effects.”

Chris graduated college in May 2017. His bi-monthly checkups continue.

“As a competitor, a triathlon was always in the back of my mind, it was always something I wanted to cross off my personal bucket list,” Chris says. “Racing in a New York City triathlon as a Tackle Kids Cancer athlete is an opportunity for me to give back to a Foundation that has done so much for me, while having the ability to inspire other kids and families who are going through cancer treatments.”

In remission since November 2016, Chris says he registered immediately after getting the all-clear from his doctors.

“We are deeply grateful to Chris for his extraordinary generosity of spirit,” said Helen A. Cunning, interim president and chief development officer of the Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation. “We will be cheering him on every step of the way as he gives his all to support the work of Tackle Kids Cancer.”

Chris is training for the 2XU New York City Triathlon, which is described as one of the premier urban triathlons, with a course that includes a 1.5k swim in the Hudson River, a 40k bike ride up the traffic-free Hudson Parkway into the Bronx and back, and a 10k trek across 72nd Street that finishes in Central Park.

“Every kid should have the opportunity to grow up and experience life to the fullest,” Chris says. “My work with Tackle Kids Cancer stems from that point of view, to raise as much money as possible to fund research so that one day no child will have to face these challenges.”

ABOUT THE 2XU NEW YORK CITY TRIATHLON

The 2XU New York City Triathlon, the only international-distance triathlon in New York City, is a signature event within the 2018 Life Time Tri Series, which includes seven triathlons across the country including: South Beach, CapTex, Minneapolis, New York City, Chicago, Tempe and Miami. In its inaugural year, 683 people signed up for the race, today it is one of the most in-demand triathlons in America.

ABOUT TACKLE KIDS CANCER

Tackle Kids Cancer is philanthropic initiative of the Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation dedicated to finding a cure for pediatric cancer.  Funds raised support pediatric cancer research and innovative patient services at the Children’s Cancer Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center.  To date, Tackle Kids Cancer has raised more than $5 million to support its mission.

ABOUT HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION

The Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation engages generous people with opportunities to provide the best that medicine has to offer our patients and to advance clinical research and education. As the philanthropic arm of the medical center since 1980, the Foundation was established to seek private resources to support the mission of Hackensack University Medical Center. Since then, the Foundation has played an instrumental role in the institution’s extraordinary growth and evolution. For more information, please visit HackensackUMC.org/Donate.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children’s hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; 11 community hospitals - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 160 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care and after-hours centers. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey, including Hackensack University Medical Center which is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.