A woman dressed all in teal with a clear rain poncho smiles. She walks with two canes and with a smiling female teenager beside her.
Ovarian cancer survivor Pamela Dulaney, captain of Team Fluffy, with one of her biggest fans.

2023 Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk & 5K Raises More Than $194K

Community

Updated

Date

When

Where

Sanderson High School
Raleigh, NC
This event has passed.
Man and woman in hats, coats, smiling under a big green and white umbrella
SMILING IN THE RAIN Andrew Berchuck, MD, chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke Department of Ob/Gyn, and Melanie Bacheler, founder of the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk.

The 2023 Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk & 5K, presented by WTVD-Ch. 11, marked its 21st year raising awareness, paying tribute to those touched by ovarian cancer, and supporting ovarian cancer research at DCI.

This year's event was held in the midst of a tropical storm, but that didn't dampen the mood.

The walk itself was made possible by slickers, umbrellas, and teal spirit.

Melanie Bacheler founded the event in 2002 to honor the memory of her mother Gail Parkins, who passed away at the age of 56 after a two-year battle with ovarian epithelial cancer.

Over these past two decades, the family event, which has raised more than $5M in funds for ovarian cancer research and awareness, has grown by leaps and bounds and adapted to meet the moment.

This year's event raised more than $194K.

Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk & 5K September 23, 2003 sign with walking daisies logo in circular frame layered on top of walkers in rain slickers
Rain couldn't dampen the spirit of these walkers at the Gail Parkins Ovarian Cancer Memorial Walk & 5K event. (Sept. 23, 2003)
three smiling people hold a giant poster-size check in the amount of $194,192 made out to Duke Gyn/Onc Division
Duke Cancer Institute Gynecologic Cancer Disease Group leaders Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, MHSc (associate director, Clinical Research), and Andrew Berchuck, MD (director), with founder and organizer of the annual Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk Melanie Bacheler (middle), proudly display a check made out to DCI in the amount of $194,192.
two runners, a man and a woman run toward the finish line beneath a Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian banner and the time reading 00:23:55
DEDICATED: DCI gynecologic oncologist Laura Havrilesky, MD, approaches the finish line
four signs in the grass along a road numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, each with a symptom of ovarian cancer
This year, for the first time, the route was lined with four posters marked with the main symptoms associated with ovarian cancer: 1. Bloating 2. Pelvic or Abdominal Pain 3. Difficulty Eating or Feeling Full Quickly 4. Urinary Urgency, Frequency.
a man in an orange sweatshirt with teal sneakers tied together over his shoulder. On one sneaker is written "cancer sucks"
An unknown man walks alone in the rain with two sneakers tied together over his shoulder that read "cancer sucks."
3 women standing together, one with hands clapping, one with a microphone and one with her hand on the other's shoulder
SURVIVORS CIRCLE Melanie Bacheler welcomed a group of 12 ovarian cancer survivors to the stage to recognize them and their individual cancer journeys. Here, ovarian cancer survivors Monique Mueller (left) and Pamela Dulaney (right) show their support to fellow survivor Angelea Cheney (center), who speaks to the attendees.

The rest of the events were held indoors at Sanderson High School in Raleigh. 

This included:

  • a survivors circle
     
  • a fun photo booth
     
  • educational presentations on hereditary cancer genetics and the latest ovarian cancer therapies 
woman standing with teal ribbon and teal "hope" sign; seated woman in auditorium with legs extended in knee-high teal socks; woman, man, and two kids at a fun photo booth
TEAL SPIRIT Melanie Bacheler, founder of the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk, holds a teal ribbon for ovarian cancer awareness and a teal "hope" sign. Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, associate director of clinical research for the DCI Gynecologic Cancer Disease Group, shows off her teal ovarian cancer awareness socks and teal sneakers. Gynecologic oncologist Brittany Davidson, MD, and her family, don goofy disguises in the event photo booth.
woman holding a microphone beside a screen reading "Targeted Therapies for Ovarian Cancer"
DCI gynecologic oncology pharmacist Stephanie Shuey, PharmD, BCOP, begins her educational presentation on ovarian cancer treatments; part of the Gail Parkins Ovarian Cancer Memorial Walk & 5K event held on September 23, 2023.
Woman with microphone stands to the side of a projected slide that outlines the differences between chemotherapy and targeted therapy treatments
DCI gynecologic oncology pharmacist Stephanie Shuey, PharmD, BCOP, outlines the differences between chemotherapy and targeted therapy treatments with these slides.

CHEMOTHERAPY: Kills cells that multiply quickly, toxic to cancer cells and healthy cells, and causes "classic" side effects such as weakened immune system, hair loss, nausea, and diarrhea.

TARGETED THERAPY: Targets genes and proteins that help cancer cells survive and grow; less likely to harm healthy cells; may be used for cancer treatment or maintenance therapy; may be given alone or added to chemotherapy; causes unique side effects of high blood pressure, bleeding/clotting problems, and eye issues.
woman with a microphone standing near a poster that lists the various genetic drivers of ovarian cancer
Certified genetic counselor Maggie Frazier goes through a list of the various genetic drivers of ovarian cancer in this educational presentation.

Related Events

Related Events