Erna’s Story: A Life Changed by the Teal Run

When Erna Arnesen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017, her life shifted overnight. A pain in her side turned into a whirlwind: surgery, the start of aggressive chemotherapy, and a decision to step away from her full-time career. Still in shock, she heard about The Teal Run and decided to attend — just weeks after surgery, before treatment had even begun.

“My husband drove me,” she recalls. “I could barely walk. But I showed up.” What she found was more than a fundraiser — it was a lifeline. She recalls there were people walking around with no hair like it was no big deal. She met survivors, families, support organizations — and someone whose treatment path she ended up choosing with her doctor.

“It changed the course of my care. That day gave me the hope and clarity I needed. I truly believe The Teal Run helped save my life.”

Since then, Erna has returned to The Teal Run nearly every year — as a survivor, supporter, and now as a committee member. She’s gathered a team of “Teal Sisters” from her Cancer CAREpoint support group, helped recruit sponsors, and shared her story to raise awareness about a disease that often goes undetected until it’s too late. For Erna, the run has become a deeply personal day of reflection and gratitude.

“It’s a special day for me to honor the survivors and those who are no longer with us. We do not forget them.” At last year’s event, she helped organize a white rose remembrance ceremony — a tribute to the lives lost to ovarian cancer and a moment she describes as deeply moving.

“This is my new life, and this is my community,” she says. “We run to support each other, to remember, and to fight for a better future.”

Join us this year as we walk, remember, and move forward together on Sunday, September 28, 2025.

Register for The Teal Run here.