Cancer research fundraiser returns to Bellingham for third year. Here’s how to register

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. In Bellingham, for the past two years, that’s meant it’s time for the “Ride the Teal Wave” community paddle and ovarian cancer research fundraiser.

This year’s event, which launches from the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven, will take place Saturday, Sept. 7. From there, participants will set sail into Bellingham Bay on canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, waving teal flags.

Event organizer Kari Neumeyer said when she first got the idea for the event in 2022, she didn’t want it to be a typical fundraiser.

“The first one, I just sort of thought, well, I’ve never really planned a fundraiser or an awareness event before, but I really like to paddle, and I’ve never really heard of another like paddling fundraiser before. And the Community Boating Center is so convenient. It’s like, what if I just got together a few other people I know in this community, and we paddled around and wore our teal T-shirts and waved flags, and called that an awareness event,” Neumeyer said in a phone interview with The Bellingham Herald.

After the paddle, participants can gather for food, drinks and live music at Skylark’s Cafe’s “hidden garden” event space, a feature of the event since its first year.

“The more I thought of it, I thought, well, we could also have an after-party at a local business like Skylark, and we could have other local businesses to give away prizes,” Neumeyer said. “Then my mom, bless her heart, reached out to PeaceHealth, which is who had done my initial treatment. She’s like, ‘Hey, would you like to sponsor us?’ And they said, ‘Sure.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is a real thing.’”

That first year 30 people showed up for the paddle, with an additional 20 attending the gathering at Skylark. The crowd grew the following year, with 50 participants in the water and 60 total. This year could see a bigger turnout, with 30 people registered as of late August.

How to register or donate

Participants can register online at the event’s page. Anyone can show up to the event itself, but in order to get a T-shirt and be entered into the raffle, you need to donate at least $10.

According to the registration page, the event has already raised more than $10,000 toward its goal of $20,000.

All of the money raised goes to the STAAR Ovarian Cancer Foundation, which funds research into possible cures for low grade serous ovarian cancer, a rare form of the disease that’s difficult to treat and more likely to affect younger people. Neumeyer said she first became involved with STAAR after her own low grade serous ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2020.

“I got involved with that organization just out of the feeling that I’m currently healthy, and so while I am healthy, I want to be as active as I can in working for the other people who are not as healthy, to advocate for this type of cancer and also maybe make a difference in advancing the research that could help treat them — and also myself, if my cancer comes back,” Neumeyer said.

Ovarian cancer awareness and symptoms

In addition to raising money, Neumeyer said the event will focus on raising awareness for the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Participants can opt to sport a teal T-shirt, with the symptoms of the disease written on the back.

“Most people don’t know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, either. You know, breast cancer has lumps, breast cancer has mammograms, ovarian cancer, the tumors are very internal, so you cannot detect them from the outside,” Neumeyer said. “I had three fairly large tumors, and you couldn’t see them on an exam of any kind, except for a CT scan.”

According to research and advocacy organization Cure Out Ovarian Cancer, symptoms typically include bloating, feeling full easily, abdominal, back or pelvic pain, changes in bowel movements or urination, all of which are relatively common outside of the context of ovarian cancer. The disease’s symptoms tend to be uncomfortable to discuss too, meaning it often goes undetected, according to Neumeyer.

“Obviously no one wants to say, ‘Oh, you’re feeling bloated. Might be ovarian cancer.’ Like, no one wants to say that,” Neumeyer said. “But if it’s an ongoing problem, and all the other medical interventions aren’t helping it, it’s not helpful for people, for doctors, to say, ‘Oh, it’s definitely not cancer, you’re too young.’”

How to participate in the event

The event starts at 11:30 a.m., with the gathering at Skylark scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. If you want to participate in the paddle, you can bring your own kayak, canoe or paddleboard, or rent one there for $10.

This story was originally published September 4, 2024 at 5:00 AM.