It’s a heartwarming and inspiring day of celebration and remembrance.

For the 31st year, Mercer Island’s Rivkin Center will gather more than a thousand participants at its SummeRun 5K to fight ovarian cancer, increase awareness and provide community on July 14 at Seattle’s Seward Park.

This year, Island-raised board president Melissa Rivkin — whose mother, Marsha, died of ovarian cancer at age 49 after a four-year battle in 1993 — said that 62 teams will traverse the Seward Park course as the center aims to raise more than a half a million dollars to fund ovarian cancer research.

Each time out, there is immense Island support for the critical cause as a host of local teams and individual runners and walkers join and celebrate survivors — also called Thrivers — across the Seattle area at the event that is infused with care and passion.

Melissa joined her father, center founder Dr. Saul Rivkin, and her four sisters to establish the race to honor Marsha’s memory. Saul, a retired oncologist, has resided on the Island for more than 60 years.

“It’s a very important weekend, not just to celebrate my mom — which of course we do — but so that other families don’t have to suffer the way that our family suffered. We want to get to the place where ovarian cancer is easily detected and easily cured,” said Melissa, adding that all the Rivkin sisters attend the event alongside Saul and the plethora of participants, their families and supporters.

Added Molly O’Connor, Rivkin Center CEO: “It’s a place for people to come and be in connection if they are battling the disease, to keep people’s memories alive. We do a lot to celebrate and remember people who are still living and those who fought hard and are no longer with us.”

According to a Rivkin Center press release, “there is currently no test to detect ovarian cancer in its earliest, most treatable and most survivable stages, and fewer than half of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive beyond five years.”

O’Connor — who formerly worked at the Komen Puget Sound breast cancer organization — said the funds raised at the race have significantly contributed toward the more than $16.5 million the center has invested into ovarian cancer research over the decades. The center also funds young scholars, provides funding for pilot studies and more.

The Rivkin Center will recognize eight-year survivor honoree Tammy Evans at this year’s race. Last year, Melissa said that a 46-year survivor participated in the event.

“It is really amazing to see more and more women who are able to thrive after and during this disease,” Melissa said.

“The SummeRun has been a tradition in my family for many years,” said Michelle Younker in the press release. “I am a two-time cancer survivor myself, and my family has been deeply affected by cancer, so this event is especially meaningful to us.”

To register and for more information, visit: https://rivkin.org/summerun/

* In other Rivkin news, the center has partnered with the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment (Care) Fund to invest $1 million in public and private funds to support ovarian cancer research in Washington state over the next two years. This includes funding two researchers, one at the University of Washington and the other at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

Photo courtesy of Vivian Hsu Photography