During Marsha’s life, her focus was on her family. She felt that the most important contribution she could make to humanity was raising our daughters to be kind, compassionate, and moral individuals. She was warm-hearted and loving. Our door was always open, whether for newcomers to the community or kids around the block. She juggled a lot with five kids, but always had time to listen, to help, and to care for those around her. Her battle with ovarian cancer was over, but ours was not. Determined to turn our grief into something positive, I began to lay the groundwork for the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research in 1994. My daughters came up with the idea of SummeRun as a way to raise important funds for the Center. What better tribute is there for a woman who valued family, friendship, and community than to have a community and family-sponsored event with the purpose of helping others? Both the Rivkin Center and the SummeRun are more than a tribute to Marsha—they are a tribute to all who are touched by stories like ours and want to help others fight cancer, promote awareness, and make the world a better place.
