This request came to us via the VCTF. If anyone wishes to get involved individually, please contact me and I will share her e-mail and phone # with you.
Ken McFarland
My name is Susan Fuhs and I was referred to you by Steph Coolbaugh from the Virginia Capital Trail. I am planning a bike ride on the Capital Trail in the fall to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA). I live in Virginia Beach and I am a 7-year ovarian cancer survivor who has organized fundraisers on behalf of OCRA since 2000. So far, I've raised over $73,000.
My goal is to make this a bigger event and something that increases awareness about ovarian cancer risks and symptoms since it is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers. As a VCT enthusiast, I have ridden it often and completed two full-trail rides with overnight stays in Richmond. I have worked with local gyms in the Virginia Beach area for several fundraisers, but find that they are difficult to run and return to annually, and we're limited by the number of people who can attend a class. I hosted a virtual fundraiser last year and raised over $10,000 just by telling friends and family (who in-turn did their own fundraising) and having a corporate donor and matching gifts. While that was great, it falls short of my goal to educate the community about ovarian cancer. Since my diagnosis, I've been actively educating the public about ovarian cancer and OCRA has been getting the word out. This is making a real difference - in 2019, 1 in 78 women would be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It's now nearing 1 in 90! Since there is no screening test for ovarian cancer, this can only happen with education of risks and symptoms.
So, why am I reaching out to you? Steph said you are the people who know the most about Williamsburg area bicycling. I've learned more about the area in the last several years as my daughter attended William & Mary. I know what I need to do to organize an event from the logistical side and I have the backing of OCRA for things like insurance, marketing, etc. But I don't think I can manage this thing all on my own as I have done in the past. I will need some volunteers and I'm wondering if you know anyone in the area who has experience managing an event like this who would be willing to help me out.
If you know anyone willing to speak with me and possibly assist me in organizing this event, I'd appreciate any introduction. I'm really dedicated to this event, very organized and would benefit from the practical experience of others. I appreciate you taking the time to read through this whole email as I think the back-story matters for an event like this.
Thanks in advance,
Susan Fuhs
Charity request
