OutRun Ovarian Cancer

I'm switching things up a bit for today's post. CLE on the Cheap usually has posts about free and low-cost ways to have fun in Northeast Ohio. There is an event Saturday that is fun and fits the free and low-cost criteria. It also benefits a cause that means a lot to me.

OutRun Ovarian Cancer (OROC) is having a race that starts at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and goes through downtown Cleveland. There is a 5K race and a 1-mile fun run. All proceeds fund ovarian cancer research and education in Greater Cleveland.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related death among women and the deadliest of gynecological cancers. There is no screening test for it and no cure. Treatments and survival rates have gotten better in recent years and money donated to research efforts will help survival rates improve even more.

I have been an ovarian cancer survivor since 2015, when I was initially diagnosed. I have had two recurrences since then -- in 2016 and this year. Research resulting in more effective treatments is one reason I'm still here.

Fellow survivors and me (second from left) after last year's race. 

You can still sign up for Saturday's OROC race. Race-day registration, which is $30 for adults and $15 for kids 10 and younger, begins at 7 a.m. on the Rock Hall plaza. Race-day registrants will get an OROC T-shirt while supplies last.

A celebration rally and a survivors tribute will precede the 5K and the fun run, which begin at 8:30 a.m. I formed a team for the 5K in 2017 and really enjoyed it. Everyone on my team walked instead of running and we didn't finish last.The ceremonies and the 5K took place in a festive atmosphere, with musicians and Cleveland Indians drummer John Adams among those cheering us on along the route. People of all ages and abilities, along with a few dogs, ran and walked.

If you're not up to participating in either race, you can come downtown to cheer on the runners and walkers. Doing that is free. You also can visit several vendor booths, win raffle prizes and learn more about ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is less common than other cancers and therefore gets less attention and fewer research dollars. The OROC race will help with that. Please run, walk, or root for the racers on Saturday and spread the word about this disease whenever you can.