When Chuck Horning thinks of his late wife, Polly, he instantly calls to mind her determination in all facets of her life. “The word I always used to describe her was tenacious,” Chuck explained. “Initially, her prognosis for stage IV ovarian cancer was about 3 months. When she heard that, she just about told the doctor to go jump in a lake.” Polly went on to live with ovarian cancer for 5 more years, facing her diagnosis with grace and bravery.
Since Polly’s passing in 2016, Chuck and their network of family and friends have generously supported OutRun Ovarian Cancer (OROC), a grassroots organization in Northeast Ohio working to improve treatment outcomes through research. Her approach to her cancer diagnosis mirrored her approach to life – “My wife was positive until the day she died,” said Chuck. “She’d be walking around the floor during her chemotherapy appointments at Metro, speaking to patients and cheering them up.” Polly’s friends and family – Team Polly’s Pals – can be seen every year at OROC’s annual 5K and Family Fun Run sporting her favorite shade of bright yellow.
The couple met at Boston Mills Ski Resort in Northeast Ohio and shared a lifelong love of outdoor sports, planning ski trips, whitewater rafting excursions, and sailing adventures throughout the country. They honeymooned in Vail, and their marriage was dotted with ski trips and memories from Vermont to California. Polly’s willpower, Chuck recounted, shone through in everything she did. “I have a picture of her in my family room taken two days after a chemotherapy session and she was fully skiing and racing. She was a very strong-willed woman – she had the pedal to the floor throughout her life, to say the least.”
Chuck, alongside a large group of family and friends, is continually motivated to fundraise for OROC in Polly’s memory. “It’s a lesser-known disease, and ovarian cancer is really sneaky,” said Chuck. “The reason I like OROC is because it’s a local charity, and the majority of the money stays local.”
The 21st Annual OROC 5K Run/Walk was no exception to the event’s history of creating uplifting and inspiring experiences. Undeterred by pouring rain in downtown Cleveland, more than 1500 participants came together on August 3rd to celebrate survivors, share memories of loved ones, and continue fundraising for a cure. Over $2,000,000 has been raised through OROC’s efforts since its inception in 2003. Thanks to teams, like Polly’s Pals, who continue to tirelessly support the cause in memory of their beloved family member and friend, better outcomes for patients in Northeast Ohio and beyond are possible.
The 22nd Annual OROC 5K Run/Walk will take place on Saturday August 2nd, 2025. For information on ovarian cancer symptoms and detection, visit this link.
