When COVID-19 shut everything down, Jessica Jablon had to rethink the annual in-person dinner gala fundraiser for Sharsheret, the Jewish nonprofit dedicated to advancing awareness for breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The first year, she hosted a virtual program, “Twilight Picnic,” where food was delivered to people, and the following year, the organization produced a national virtual program. But in 2022, sparked by an idea from a volunteer, one of Jablon’s colleagues suggested a race, which is now her “baby.”
“We were thinking maybe we could get 450 people to come to the West Coast Dash,” said Jablon, director of the West Region for Sharsheret. “I think we ended up with over 900 people that first year, then the second year maybe it was 1,000 and last year we had about 1,200 people. This year we’re already on track to have more than that.”
Sharsheret’s reason for being is pretty straightforward: 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 1 in 91 will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The Jewish community is at 10 times greater risk for these cancers: 1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jews carries a BRCA gene mutation as compared to 1 in 400 in the general population. A BRCA gene mutation increases breast and ovarian cancer risk. The international cancer organization provides mental health support, genetic counseling, financial assistance and lifesaving education — all virtually. It was founded 25 years ago, and its West Coast presence launched 10 years ago. Jablon started working part-time in 2019, just before COVID hit. . . .
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