Join Us in the Fight Against Ovarian Cancer: Sprint for Life 5k
Dear Friends and Family,
As many of you know, we lost our beloved mother, Cristina, to ovarian cancer in 2012. Since then, we’ve been determined to honor her memory by continuing her legacy of helping others help others. That’s why we always participate in the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Sprint for Life 5k Run/Walk on May 3, 2025—and more importantly, why I’m joining the fight to end ovarian cancer.
This cause is deeply personal to me, and I am asking for your support in raising awareness and funds for vital ovarian cancer research. This year alone, the National Cancer Institute estimates that over 19,680 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 12,740 women will lose their battle to the disease in the United States. The reality is that there is still no reliable way to detect ovarian cancer early, and its symptoms are often subtle and overlooked. Tragically, only 20% of ovarian tumors are caught in their earliest, more treatable stages.
However, early detection can dramatically increase survival rates, with more than 90% of patients surviving if diagnosed before the cancer spreads. That’s why education and research are so crucial.
Through The Cristina Project, we are working to continue our mother's mission by supporting efforts that can help change the course of ovarian cancer treatment, early detection, and survival. Your support means everything to us—it will help fund groundbreaking research that brings us closer to a cure.
Donations made to MD Anderson Cancer Center are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and the taxpayer ID for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is 74-6001118.
Thank you for being part of this important journey. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will help carry forward the work that Cristina so deeply believed in—helping others help others.
With gratitude and love,
Monica Marie Vallejo
The Cristina Project
