Looking for affordable fun on the water? Paddle for ovarian cancer research
Ride the Teal Wave, a paddling fundraiser at Fairhaven’s Community Boating Center, is back for its fourth year on Saturday, Sept. 6 to raise money for low grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) research through a foundation called STAAR.
The event starts with a paddle from the Community Boating Center toward Boulevard Park and ends with a gathering at Skylark’s Hidden Garden with live music and a prize drawing. Some of the prizes this year include donations from Trader Joe’s, Mallard Ice Cream, Sirena Gelati, Chrysalis Spa, Fairhaven Runners & Walkers and Coconut Kenny’s.
It’s $20 to participate in the paddle. Anyone who doesn’t have a kayak or paddleboard can rent one from the Community Boating Center at a discounted rate of $10.
Last year’s event saw a turnout of about 50 people. A similar turnout is expected this year. Jyl Moen comes from the Seattle area for the paddle, and brings around 20 people with her in memory of her daughter, who she lost to ovarian cancer.
“It’s pretty serene and surreal, to see people from the vantage point that all the people are there for the same reason that you are,” Moen said. “It’s an amazing way for us to remember her, doing the things that she loved and supporting the things that she supported.”
Kari Neumeyer, a board member for STAAR and an LGSOC survivor, organizes the event every year. She said the foundation’s primary concern is raising money for research, which is the only thing the $20 entry fee supports.
“Nobody’s getting paid, we’re not spending a ton of money on awareness items. We’re just trying to fund research that will save our lives,” Neumeyer said. “Everyone likes to paddle, but maybe they don’t want to donate. But if you donate $20, you get put into this door prize and you could win something worth more than $20.”
All types of ovarian cancer research are underfunded compared to other cancers. In 2023, the National Cancer Institute invested $132 million in ovarian cancer research. The same year, Breast Cancer research received $542 million, and Prostate Cancer research received $258.6 million.
Amid federal funding cuts, the American Association for Cancer Research reported halted clinical trials and canceled research projects. LGSOC hasn’t been feeling the impacts of those cuts, Neumeyer said, because it was never receiving federal funding.
“We weren’t getting any federal funding so nothing’s been cut. Ovarian cancer as a whole does have federal funding, and weirdly, it’s distributed through the department of defense and that’s been slashed significantly.”
When Neumeyer was diagnosed, there were no FDA-approved treatments for the cancer. She said she received drugs used for treating other types of cancers.
“We get leftovers of other cancer’s drug treatments because there isn’t one that’s targeted towards our disease,” Neumeyer said.
STAAR has donated $400,000 to research this year. Bellingham’s events have gathered $55,000.
There’s an awareness aspect to the event, too. The first 50 participants receive shirts to wear with the symptoms of ovarian cancer on the back.
“People are being diagnosed so late because they don’t recognize the symptoms,” Neumeyer said. “It includes things that you just don’t associate with your ovaries.”
Those symptoms can include bloating, unexplained weight gain, frequent urination, feeling full quickly, abdominal, pelvic and/or back pain, indigestion, fatigue and pain with intercourse, all that last more than two weeks.
France Freeman, who also attends the event every year, encourages people with ovaries to be persistent with a doctor if they think something is off.
“Especially as younger women, we get told, ‘Oh, this can’t be anything serious,’” Freeman said. “Know that these things are off, and then just following up, and just really being very persistent so that you don’t get blown off.”
People who want to participate can sign up here. More information about STAAR can be found here.
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
