Ovarian Cancer Supporter Participates in Los Angeles and New York Run for Her Friendship Walk Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close 04 November 2013 04:53 AM America/Los_Angeles Ovarian Cancer Supporter Participates in Los Angeles and New York Run for Her Friendship Walk Los Angeles - Nov. 4, 2013 – Just days ago, Adam Drooks participated in New York's inaugural Run for Her® New York Friendship Walk to support ovarian cancer research and awareness. But his passion to find a cure for the disease far exceeds one fundraising event. That's why Drooks will lace up his running shoes again on Sunday, Nov. 10, and participate in the ninth annual Los Angeles Run for Her. For the New York resident and Los Angeles native, Drooks' drive to participate in both events comes from his mother, Donna Gold, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer when Drooks was 18. Gold was a regular participant in the Los Angeles Run for Her event and with the help of her friends and family she raised more than $20,000 for the Women's Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute. "My mother did everything in her power not to let her life be consumed by ovarian cancer," said Drooks. "She was selfless and always remained focused on helping others, both professionally and personally. My mother's passion for life will always motivate me." After his mother's passing, Drooks made fundraising and awareness for the Women's Cancer Program his personal mission. To date, through various athletic fundraising activities, he has raised more than $30,000. This year, Drooks is engaging family and friends on both coasts to support his participation in the New York and Los Angeles events. "When I get tired at the end of a race, I realize that no cancer patient has the option to quit," said Drooks. "Chemotherapy is terrible, but a patient has to keep going; they can't just stop. So I tell myself that quitting is not an option for me either. I'm too committed to supporting ovarian cancer research." There is still time to join Drooks at the start line. Registration is available at runforher.com, and on-site registration is available for a fee of $40. The race kicks off at 8:30 a.m. in Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd. The USA Track and Field-certified course heads west on Third Street to Cedars-Sinai and loops back to Pan Pacific Park and the Finish Line Festival featuring music, prizes, T-shirts, goodie bags and giveaways. Run for Her was founded in 2005 by Kelli Sargent in honor of her mother, Nanci Sargent, who lost her life to ovarian cancer. Kelli says that the run-walk "carries forward Mom's strength, inspiration and compassion" as well as her dream of helping medical science develop a cure for the disease. The event has raised more than $5 million to date. Beth Y. Karlan, MD, director of the Women's Cancer Program and the Division of Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, recognizes the importance and hard work of families, friends and fundraisers whose lives have been touched by ovarian cancer. "The passion and commitment of people like Adam Drooks inspires us to work even harder on behalf of all women with cancer. His mother, Donna, was an incredible force and it's rewarding to see Adam follow in his mother's running shoes fueled by her spirit and generosity," said Karlan, the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Chair in Gynecologic Oncology and a White House appointee to the National Cancer Advisory Board. "Adam's steadfast dedication to this effort will help support vital research that will ultimately lead to better screening, treatments and, someday, a cure for ovarian cancer." For additional information and a downloadable registration form, visit runforher.com, or call toll-free 888-704-6178. Share this release Ovarian Cancer Supporter Participates in Los Angeles and New York Run for Her Friendship Walk Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay: Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW: Want New Omicron Booster? Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home