Meet Our 2026 Teal Run Keynote Speaker

We’re honored to announce that this year’s keynote speaker for The Teal Run is Dr. Amer Karam, a leading gynecologic oncologist at Stanford Medicine.  

Dr. Karam has dedicated his career to advancing care for women facing ovarian and gynecologic cancers, with expertise spanning ovarian cancer treatment, hereditary cancer risk, robotic surgery, and palliative care. His work is rooted not only in innovation and research, but also in deeply compassionate, patient-centered care.  

As we gather this year under our theme, “Powered by Community,” Dr. Karam’s voice reflects the heart of what

The Teal Run is all about: bringing together survivors, families, advocates, researchers, and care teams to move ovarian cancer awareness and research forward together.

We’re incredibly grateful to welcome Dr. Karam to The Teal Run community and look forward to hearing his perspective on the future of ovarian cancer care, research, and hope.

5 Questions with Dr. Amer Karam

Dr. Karam has dedicated his career to advancing ovarian cancer care and supporting patients through every stage of their journey. We asked him to share his thoughts on progress, hope, and the power of community.

What gives you the most hope about the future of ovarian cancer care?

What excites me most is that we are finally beginning to move ovarian cancer care toward a more personalized and biologically driven approach. For many years, treatment options were relatively limited and broadly applied, but today we are learning how to tailor therapies based on the unique characteristics of each patient’s tumor. Advances in molecular testing, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and antibody-drug conjugates are opening doors that simply did not exist before.

I am also encouraged by progress in early detection research. We still have a long way to go, but the scientific community is investing tremendous effort into developing more accurate screening and biomarker strategies. Even incremental improvements in earlier diagnosis could have a profound impact on survival and quality of life.

Perhaps most importantly, patients are living longer and better than ever before. Increasingly, we are able to think not only about treating cancer, but also about preserving quality of life, maintaining hope, and helping patients continue to live meaningful, fulfilling lives throughout their journey.

What continues to inspire you in your work?

I was drawn to gynecologic oncology because it combines complex surgery, meaningful patient relationships throughout their cancer journey and into survivorship, and the opportunity to guide patients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. It is a field that demands both technical precision and deep compassion.

What continues to motivate me is the resilience of the patients themselves. Ovarian cancer patients often face uncertainty with extraordinary courage and grace. Being trusted to walk alongside someone through diagnosis, treatment, recurrence, remission, and survivorship is an incredible privilege.

I am also motivated by the pace of progress in the field. There is real momentum in ovarian cancer research, and it is meaningful to know that every year we are able to offer patients more options, more hope, and better outcomes than we could before.

What would you say to someone newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer?

For patients who are newly diagnosed, I would say: take things one step at a time. The beginning can feel overwhelming, and it is natural to feel frightened or uncertain. Try not to carry the entire journey all at once. Build a care team you trust, ask questions, and allow others to support you.

For patients experiencing recurrence, I would emphasize that recurrence is not failure. Ovarian cancer is often a chronic illness with periods of treatment and remission. Many patients continue to live meaningful and active lives for years while navigating recurrence. There are more treatment options available today than ever before, and we continue to see important advances in care.

For patients who are currently with no evidence of disease, I would encourage them to give themselves permission to heal emotionally as well as physically. The anxiety of surveillance and fear of recurrence are very real. It is okay if returning to “normal” does not happen immediately. Survivorship is its own journey, and support remains important even after treatment ends.

At every stage, I encourage patients to remember that they do not have to go through this alone.

This year's Teal Run theme is Powered by Community. Why does community matter?

Community can be transformative. Ovarian cancer often carries a sense of isolation because many symptoms are invisible, the disease is relatively uncommon, and patients may feel that others cannot fully understand what they are experiencing.

Support systems help counter that isolation. Whether it comes from family, friends, fellow survivors, advocacy organizations, nurses, physicians, or local events like The Teal Run, community reminds patients that they are seen, heard, and supported.

I have seen firsthand how powerful it can be when patients connect with others who truly understand their experience. Community provides practical support, emotional strength, shared knowledge, and hope. It also fuels advocacy and research by bringing people together around a common purpose.

“Powered by Community” is a meaningful theme because no one should have to face ovarian cancer in isolation.

If you could share one message with every person affected by ovarian cancer, what would it be?

I would want every person affected by ovarian cancer to know that there is reason for hope.

Even in difficult moments, progress is happening. Treatments are improving, research is advancing rapidly, and the ovarian cancer community is stronger and more connected than ever before.

I would also want patients and families to know that their experience matters. Their voices, resilience, and advocacy are helping shape the future of care for the next generation of patients.

Most importantly, I would remind them that they are more than a diagnosis. Ovarian cancer may become part of someone’s story, but it does not define the entirety of who they are.