Hundreds walk against ovarian cancer, Parkinson’s

Three days after arriving at Carleton University on a full-ride scholarship, Kristina Pliskevicius was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Thats when the nightmare began, Brian Rivait said as he described the experiences of his 30-year-old daughter-in-law.

Pliskevicius was 25 at the time of her diagnosis.

For us, everybody saw ovarian cancer as being a disease of older women and it just became really important that we needed to get that message out, that age is not a determinant of this disease, Rivait said Sunday during the 2012 Windsor Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope at Malden Park.

Rivait said Pliskevicius is still in active treatment and is an inspiration to everybody.

Rivait and his family joined the walk six years ago when Pliskevicius was diagnosed. They now help organize the event that draws hundreds of families, survivors and friends who have been affected somehow by ovarian cancer.

Rivait said they were expecting to raise more than $100,000 this year.

The money finances Ovarian Cancer Canadas support, awareness and education programs as well as ovarian cancer research.

Rivait said the walk was started seven years ago by a family that lost a loved one to ovarian cancer. He said 25 people walked and raised $750.

This year the number of participants reached 400 representing 25 teams.

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Hundreds walk against ovarian cancer, Parkinson’s