Ovarian cancer walk looks to spread awareness, raise money for cause

By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register

The Ovarian Cancer Education Run and Walk will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21, at the Earthmoving Legacy Center in Elkader. The story behind this event goes back just a little further, and it stems from a family in mourning after a loss.

It was May 5, 2021, when Ann Moyna suddenly passed away at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines due to complications of ovarian cancer. It’s a date husband Steve Moyna and children Connor and Claire will never forget. This is, in part, because the cancer diagnosis wasn’t known until the day of her death, as Ann was in the hospital for issues involving a blood clot. 

The other reason is because the suddenness of her death meant the family missed their chance to say goodbye. It was a dramatic ending that has stuck with Steve and their children, and has driven the efforts to promote awareness of the disease. 

Specifically, the family aims to make people aware of the signs and symptoms, to potentially save others and because they “don’t want to lose anybody else,” especially to cancer, which has made an indelible impact on the Moyna family, extending beyond the passing of Ann. It also affected others in the family, including Doris Moyna and Erika Moyna, both of whom survived the diagnosis, but extended family member Patricia Robinson did not, succumbing to cancer in 2016.

With so much loss over the years, and with Ann’s death, Steve, along with cousin Linda Moyna, decided it was time to do something. They had to find a way to educate people on ovarian cancer, an intrusive, fast moving cancer for which there are minimal warning signs. Most importantly, there is no effective screening method for ovarian cancer, making early detection and prevention nearly impossible. 

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. It is estimated about 12,810 women will die in 2022 as a result of ovarian cancer.

Armed with this knowledge, as well as personal stories resulting from cancer diagnoses, Steve and Linda got to work. They began brainstorming ideas and looking for a way to spread awareness.

“We felt like we needed to do something,” Linda said.

That something ended up being a run/walk in Elkader. This was decided on, in part, because of the scenic views provided by the route and also the fact the event will be accessible for a large group of individuals to enjoy and participate in easily. The initial event was rapidly planned and occurred during last year’s 75th anniversary event for CJ Moyna & Sons. 

The joint effort saw 63 participants and raised $3,200, which was donated to Above + Beyond Cancer in Des Moines. 

This year, the event has already raised in excess of $5,000 through donations and sponsors. All the proceeds will go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

While planning this year’s event, organizers took what they learned previously and made some changes. Most notably, they pushed back the start time by an hour to encourage more participants. They also updated the registration process, which is still open at cjmoyna.com/ovariancancer5k/, as well as worked out some technological issues. 

For example, the event now has an automatic timing system, which is more streamlined and will help find race winners more easily. Behind this streamlined effort is the work of not just Linda and Steve, but more than 20 volunteers who will be present during the walk. These volunteers will either be handing out water on the trail, helping with registration or handing out the packets. 

The event has also taken steps to ensure the safety of all participants with the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department and an EMS squad on site and available if needed. 

Linda and Steve will be there in hands-on roles. Linda will be assisting at the registration tables and keeping everything organized, while Steve plans to engage with participants, talk about his experience and listen to others’ stories. Steve will also ride around, handing out water and making sure everyone is safe.

During the event, participants will hear personal stories from cancer survivor Doris, as well as Steve’s journey with Ann. Participants will also receive donated packets with information such as symptom cards, pamphlets and other resources to help in the fight against cancer. 

At the end of the walk, healthy refreshments will be served and every participant will have the opportunity to tour the Earthmoving Legacy Center, a perk that is included in the registration. 

There will be prizes for overall top male and female finishers, as well as top finishers in each of the five age groups. Each participant will receive a T-shirt, which was paid for through a CJ Moyna & Sons sponsorship. 

In all, over 20 businesses have sponsored the run/walk, most of them local and small businesses. When it came to getting the donations and sponsorships, Linda took charge, sending out over 110 letters to area businesses. She received a remarkable 20 percent response rate.

For both Linda and Steve, this is more than spreading awareness: it’s about the stories. For Linda, Ann’s story plays a big part because, in her view, it’s a tragedy that probably should not have happened. A missed diagnosis on a disease with no screening exam caused a tremendous loss. So, through this event, Linda is determined to save lives.

“If we can save one person, it will be a huge success. It’s all worth it if we can save even one life,” Linda said.

As for Steve, for the first time in 35 years, he no longer has Ann by his side. There is a void left behind by that loss, and building events like this is one way to fill it, to stay energized, to make sure nobody else has the same experience. It’s about letting people know what happened and because he believes Ann is “watching” him. Sitting still is not an option, just like it wasn’t when Ann was alive. 

So, Steve is doing something—something that would put a smile on Ann’s face. In the immediate aftermath of Ann’s passing, smiling was a focal point for Steve. So much so it served as a wake up call in the countless emails he sent out to family and friends to inform them of what had transpired.

“If any of you get a chance today, look up and smile. Ann McClimon Moyna joined the angels just before midnight on May 5…Please take a moment and hug as many people as you can. You never quite know when the last chance will be,” the email said.