“The Sandy Sprint is a day for the entire community to unite in the fight against ovarian cancer,” Cohen said. “We have participation from more than 35 states across the country as well as in other countries. It is definitely the community at large that is involved.”
“Real encouragement and real strength are often best shared from one person to another. That support is felt by everyone at the Sandy Sprint. The camaraderie at the event is very special. You can see all the good in the world right there in one place,” she added.
On celebrating 15 years with that race, Cohen said, “Milestones always make me take a look back at where we came from. I think that the way we got our start with just two people and one idea makes them even more meaningful. At our first race, we had a couple of hundred people and raised a few thousand dollars.”
“We didn’t take a survivor photo because we only had a few survivors in attendance. Now, we have nearly 4,000 people and raise nearly $300,000 each year. And we’re working hard to fill those Art Museum steps with survivors,” she said.
Cohen praised Emmy-nominated actor William deVry, who plays Julian Jerome on ABC’s General Hospital, for serving as an ambassador for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. “It’s really wonderful to have Wil involved in the event but even more so in the cause. I think having him at this event allows him to see the work that the Sandy Rollman Foundation does on the ground: meet the people we help and see the impact that we have. I know that women fighting this disease are grateful for his voice and his support,” she said.
On her plans for the future with the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation, especially for the rest of the spring and summer, she said, “The Sandy Sprint in Philadelphia is our biggest run/walk. This summer, we have another Sandy Sprint at the beach in Sea Isle City on July 27. It’s a really fun event- everything is a bit more laid back at the beach,” she said.
“The majority of people that live in the Philadelphia area spend a lot of time at the Jersey shore in the summer so we already have a built-in audience there,” Cohen added.
Cohen concluded, “The Sandy Sprint is a day when faith and humanity meet hope and determination. Everyone is welcome to be a part of something very special on April 27. For more information about the event, check out our website.”
