The American Lung Association has announced that its upcoming LUNG FORCE Walk Long Island will recognize two physicians from Catholic Health’s Good Samaritan University Hospital for their work in lung health. The event, scheduled for October 25, 2025, at Eisenhower Park, will include a plaque presentation honoring Dr. Sharad Chandrika and Dr. Ashish Sangal.
“We are grateful for the work of Dr. Chandrika and Dr. Sangal for their contributions to lung health in this community, and for their dedication to preventing lung disease and ending lung cancer,” said Erica Masin, Executive Director for the American Lung Association in Metro New York. “The American Lung Association is proud to support our community of medical professionals, we know that doctors like Dr. Chandrika and Dr. Sangal are instrumental in creating better outcomes for people with lung cancer.”
Dr. Sharad Chandrika is an Interventional Pulmonary Specialist with more than two decades of experience in clinical medicine and teaching. She specializes in minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy and pleural procedures. Dr. Chandrika completed fellowships in Pulmonary and Critical Care at Norwalk Hospital and Yale University Medical Center, as well as an Interventional Pulmonary fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. Her work focuses on lung cancer screening, early detection, and the multidisciplinary management of patients with lung cancer and malignant airway obstruction.
Dr. Ashish Sangal is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist with over 15 years of experience, focusing on thoracic cancers. He leads Hematology and Oncology, as well as Thoracic Oncology and Clinical Research at Good Samaritan University Hospital. Dr. Sangal earned his medical degree from Coimbatore Medical College in India and completed his residency and fellowship at Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. He has held leadership roles at several institutions and has participated in national clinical trials and presented at major conferences such as ASCO, AACR, and the American Lung Association. His primary focus is advancing care for non-small cell lung cancer and rare thoracic malignancies.
The LUNG FORCE Walk Long Island will offer participants a choice between a one-mile or three-mile route beginning at Eisenhower Park Field 6A. The event will feature an opening ceremony with remarks from the honorees and stories from LUNG FORCE Heroes. Attendees can also participate in a LUNG FORCE Action Passport activity to promote lung health education and join a closing ceremony and celebration after the walk. Funds raised from the event will support the American Lung Association’s efforts to fight lung cancer, improve air quality, reduce lung disease, and eliminate tobacco use and related diseases.
Further details and registration information can be found at LUNGFORCE.org/longisland.
