The Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation Marks 25 Years of Hope, Research, and Community

Photo Credit: Shaun Reilly Photography

There’s something about a race that starts before sunrise, when the air is still cool and strangers are stretching side by side, that reminds you why community matters. The 22nd annual Sandy Sprint Philadelphia 5K Run/Walk is bringing that feeling back to the Navy Yard on Saturday, April 25, 2026 — and this year carries a weight of meaning that goes beyond the finish line.

Because 2026 isn’t just another year for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. It’s their 25th anniversary.

Twenty-five years ago, two women who loved Sandy Rollman and lost her to ovarian cancer decided that grief wasn’t the end of the story. Her sister, Adriana Way, and her oncology nurse, Robin Cohen, channeled their heartbreak into something lasting — a foundation built not just in Sandy’s memory, but in her honor. They wanted to make sure that other women facing the same terrifying diagnosis would have more resources, more research, and more hope than Sandy did.

A quarter century later, that vision has grown into something extraordinary. The foundation has raised over $6.4 million to fund ovarian cancer research — dollars that have gone toward understanding a disease that is still too often caught too late, still too often misunderstood, and still taking far too many lives.

The Sandy Sprint has always been more than a 5K. It’s a gathering of people who are fighting, people who have survived, people who are showing up for someone they love, and people who are running in memory of someone they’ve lost. Every stride on that course at the Navy Yard carries a story.

This April, as the foundation marks 25 years of refusing to be silent, lace up your shoes and join them. Whether you run, walk, or simply come to cheer — your presence is part of the story too.

For more information or to register, visit the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Runners and walkers are encouraged to create an online fundraising page to help spread the word about the Sandy Sprint and to reach their fundraising goals. Participants can pre-register here. Registration fees are $40 for adults, $30 for children under 12, and $55 for those bringing a canine companion.