On Saturday, September 29, 2012, Olga and Sarah Pavlick will be hosting a timed 8K race and a 2K family fun run at Burke Lake Park in Virginia. The run starts at 8 AM and more information about this event, which is sponsored by the Simmons Firm, is available on the event’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/JohnPavlickFightMeso.
John Pavlick was diagnosed with pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma in July 2008. Although his prognosis was grim, John was determined to fight. Moreover, his wanted to make sure that his case at least be used by researchers to help others in the future. His journey began at Presbyterian Memorial Hospital in New York City one month after his diagnosis and his courageous battle ended just a few months later, on November 13th. He was only 60 years old.
The John Pavlick Miles for Meso 8K & Family Fun Run, which is now in its third year, began shortly after John Pavlick’s passing. His wife Olga and daughter-in-law, Sarah, were determined to do something to honor his memory. They wanted to raise awareness of mesothelioma and they wanted to continue John’s desire to help others through research and patients services. One day, walking through Burke Lake Park in Virginia, where they live, they fondly remembered that John and Olga often took walks in that park. That sparked their idea to organize a run/walk along those same trails!
This year, Olga and Sarah hope to focus even more than usual on those affected by the disease, so they established an Honor Wall to remember loved ones lost to mesothelioma and will be printing the submitted names on their race t-shirts as well. “We want to be a place where families can come together and honor their loved ones, provide support for those fighting meso now and educate others about the disease,” said Sarah Pavlick.
We want to wish the Pavlick family the best of luck with their event, and would like to encourage those of you in Virginia to attend. If Virginia is not in your neck of the woods, take a look here at all the other events that benefit the Meso Foundation planned around Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
