NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Empowers Community Through Move & Nourish Cancer Prevention Event

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Empowers Community Through Move & Nourish Cancer Prevention Event

From chair yoga to fresh produce giveaways, the Queens community embraced proactive health tools and holistic wellness

Oct 30, 2026

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens and the Queens Cancer Center hosted a high-energy, community-centered Move & Nourish event as part of the hospital's mission to champion preventive care. The Atrium Lobby was filled with staff, patients, visitors, and community members who gathered for a day defined by activities and life-saving health information. Building on the momentum of the hospital's recent Celebration of Life event for cancer survivors, Move & Nourish focused on proactive wellness. The event highlighted the hospital's Weight Management and Healthy Lifestyles Program-the first of its kind in the city's public hospital system. Led by Dr. Leia Stathakos, the program addressed the critical link between sustainable lifestyle changes and the reduction of cancer and chronic disease risks.

The day featured a series of well-attended, interactive sessions, including a chair yoga demonstration that engaged participants of all ages in gentle movement, following her presentation on why exercise is the best medicine for prevention. The Nourish portion of the event was bolstered by a partnership with Rethink Food, a nonprofit dedicated to food equity. Together with Clinical Nutritionist Alla Brayer, RD, the team provided live healthy food demonstrations and distributed bags of free, fresh produce to ensure attendees left with the tangible resources needed to improve their nutrition. Throughout the event, doctors and members of the medical team moved through the crowd, answering questions and sharing expert advice.

"The turnout and the energy we saw were truly inspiring," said Neil J. Moore, MBA, MPA, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens. "Seeing hundreds of people-from our own staff to our neighbors in the community-engaging so deeply with our medical team is a testament to the importance of these initiatives. The synergy was remarkable, and it proves that when we provide the right information and resources, our community is ready to embrace a healthier future."

"Today was about more than just education; it was about empowerment," said Dr. Ellen Hagopian, Director of the Queens Cancer Center. "The incredible participation in the yoga sessions and the dialogue between our clinicians and the public show that people are hungry for practical ways to reduce their cancer risk. By partnering with Rethink Food and highlighting our new Weight Management and Healthy Lifestyles Program, we are showing that prevention is a holistic, community-wide effort. We are not just treating illness; we are building wellness together."

The Move & Nourish event stands as a cornerstone of the Queens Cancer Center's 24-year legacy of excellence and its ongoing commitment to reducing late-stage cancer diagnoses through proactive outreach and education.

###

Media Contact: Cleon Edwards, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, (646) 772-5725

#247-26

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
A member of NYC Health and Hospitals, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens is a major health care provider in the borough of Queens. Its foremost mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public regardless of their ability to pay. In 2025, Queens Hospital marked its 90th anniversary of serving the communities of central and southeastern Queens, having first opened its doors as Queens General Hospital in 1935. Encompassing 360,000 square feet, it comprises 253 licensed beds, spacious ambulatory care suites featuring both primary and specialty services, and cutting-edge equipment. It also houses four Centers of Excellence: Cancer Care, Diabetes Management, Women's Health, and Behavioral Health. The hospital has recently added a fully expanded Emergency Room, a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence accredited by the American College of Radiology, and a Total Hip and Knee Replacement Center, with plans underway to build the health system's first Dialysis Center to train patients to perform their own at-home dialysis. To learn more about NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/queens.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.