Race to honor mother lost to ovarian cancer
Save the O’s 5K and Fun Run
August 29, 6:30 a.m. registration,
8 a.m. race start
5K run, 1-mile Fun Run
Greystone Golf and Country Club Aquatic Complex
4100 Greystone Drive
Registration Fee: $35 (5K),
$25 (Fun Run)
Each year, over 20,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. While it is the eighth most common cancer among women, it causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Accounting for only about 3 percent of all cancers in women, treatment is most effective when the disease is found early.
The Johnsons are one of the many families who have been affected by ovarian cancer. Johnny Johnson, along with his children, started the Save the O’s 5K race in 2005 to honor their wife and mother, Lori Johnson, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. When she passed in 2006, they decided to continue it in her honor. The race, which is sponsored by The Greystone Foundation, is in its 11th year. It has grown from a small community run into a much larger event.
Susan DuBose, who handles public relations for the race, has been involved from the beginning. She said both the community of Greystone, as well as the Country Club, have been very supportive.
“People come from many different places and we have a lot of teams. It’s grown in the past two years, and they are steadily raising $40,000 each year,” DuBose said.
Johnny has since remarried, and his wife Jennifer serves as the chairman of the Save the O’s Committee. The husband and wife are also board members of the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation, which strives to improve the survival rate and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer through awareness and education. To date, the NLOCF organization has donated over $1 million for ovarian cancer research.
Terri Jonseof, an ovarian cancer survivor, has participated in the race for the past two years. Her family and friends surprised her the first year when they put together “Team Terri,” a group of over 100 people who came to run on her behalf.
“I was still recovering from a major surgery and all of this was a surprise to me,” Jonseof said. “When I showed up at Greystone the morning of the run, needless to say, I was completely overwhelmed by the support of the adults and children on our team.”
Jonseof said the team was comprised mostly of non-runners, but it was a way to show support, love and encouragement to her.
“There are really not words to describe how it felt to be on the cancer side of the run instead of being there to support someone, but I can say that it struck an emotion inside of me that I will never forget,” she said.
Jonseof plans to continue participating in the event so she can provide an experience like hers each year to people who have just started their journey with cancer, or to encourage those who are still fighting.
“[The organizers] do such a great job every year putting together a day full of encouragement and hope,” she said.
The 11th Annual Save the O’s 5K and Fun Run will be held Aug. 29 at Greystone Golf and Country Club. Registration from Aug. 1 to race day is $35 for the 5K and $25 for the fun run, and the fee includes a T-shirt. Race-day registration begins at 6:30 a.m. and the race will start at 8 a.m., followed by food, music, raffle prizes, silent auction and a pool party.
For more information, or to register, visit savetheos5k.com.