LOS ANGELES — On Sunday, the Los Angeles Marathon will take over the streets of LA.

One of the many groups participating, the Fierce Sisters will walk the 13.1-mile course for the LA Marathon’s Charity Challenge as part of their campaign to raise money for Cancer research.

What You Need To Know

  • The Fierce Sisters will walk the 13.1 mile course for the L.A. Marathon’s Charity Challenge
  • It is part of their campaign to raise money for cancer research
  • The Fierce Sisters are led by Elisabeth Okun, who is a stage four ovarian cancer survivor

The Fierce Sisters are led by Elisabeth Okun, who is a Stage Four Ovarian Cancer survivor.  

“Fierce means that we are determined. We will find a solution,” she said.

Every step of these 13.1 miles is a celebration of Elisabeth's resilience, but it’s also about moving science forward. Three years after extensive chemotherapy, major surgery and a clinical trial, Elisabeth is determined to keep fighting.   

“If ovarian cancer is found early, you have a 90% chance of survival. If ovarian cancer is found late, you have a 90% chance of dying and succumbing to the disease within five years,” she said.

Elisabeth carries a purpose and sense of responsibility to help raise the funds that can go towards developing an early detection test for ovarian cancer. All funds raised by the Fierce Sisters will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Program at UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation.

Elisabeth will be strolling with more than 30 of her friends and family who have been with her every step of her fight. The group will be hard to miss in their bright pink jerseys.

“We are shocking and loud because we want people to know how important this cause is,” she said.

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Elisabeth's actual sister, Susan, will be right by her side.

"Here we are. She’s strong enough to walk 13 miles, and she’s strong enough to raise awareness,” said Susan, who is a breast cancer survivor. “My sister is a hero because through this whole thing that was her own personal health, she kept saying, 'When I get strong enough, I’m going to do something that helps people really understand how important it is to detect ovarian cancer early.'"

If you're interested in donating to the Fierce Sisters mission, you can contribute at http:///www.cancer.ucla.edu/sisters or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fiercesisters.