Mother, Daughter Hope To Spread Ovarian Cancer Awareness At Dirty Girl Mud Run

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It's a disease that kills 140,000 women worldwide each year, but a mother and daughter are trying to change those statistics by sharing their journey with ovarian cancer.

Sacramento is hosting the Dirty Girl Mud Run, put on by the Bright Pink organization, where these two women will be pushing early detection and raising money to fight the disease.

Kayla Lewis, a "Bright Pink ambassador", says her mother's diagnosis has forced them to find the happy through the chemo, hair loss and pain of ovarian cancer. The upcoming mud run brings a more fulfilling happy—helping other women win the battle.

The winning numbers in life don't necessarily come with the best of odds, but Janet Vonderlinn is quick to show that she's got an edge on ovarian cancer with her little blue book.

"Chemo and Caesar—that's where I went to lunch that day. I guess I haven't lost my appetite, haha. That's a good one," she said.

The Happiness Project reminds her to find the positive in her Stage 4 diagnosis. It was found at age 54, after she was repeatedly told by her doctor that she had anything but cancer.

"I was having issues with bladder control and I went to the doctor and he said that's just a sign of aging," she said.

Now at 56, she's entering her third bout with the disease. It's a journey that's moved her daughter from her bedside to the starting gate of this year's Dirty Girl Mud Run in Sacramento.

"This race is not just about crossing the finish line for a race. It's more so overcoming any obstacle that you're faced with, any fear that's in front of you," Lewis said.

While the race raises awareness and money for ovarian cancer support, Lewis wants women to walk away as their own health advocate. That means not ignoring signs like persistent bloating, feeling full quickly, stomach or pelvic pain, or needing to use the bathroom urgently.

"Knowing your body. Knowing your family history. Just education. I can't—again, education, education, education. It's so important," she said.

Through this journey, Lewis tested positive for the BRCA2 gene, but she says she's not opting for any surgery at this point. She says right now her focus is on her mother and the upcoming race in two weeks.

The Dirty Girl Mud Run is on March 28 at the Sacramento Raceway.