DENVER, CO--(Marketwired - Mar 13, 2015) - The Sixth Annual Jodi's Race for Awareness, benefitting the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance (COCA), returns to Denver's City Park Saturday, June 6, 2015. Presented by Cancer Treatment Centers of America, this popular community event with its 5k Run/Walk, 1-Mile Family Walk, Family Fun Zone, expo area and live entertainment will again be emceed by Channel 7's Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson. New activities added this year include:

• JRA Virtual Run: Individuals or teams can run/walk anywhere, not just in City Park. Those registered by May 1 will receive a race t-shirt to wear while running/walking June 6. Virtual Run participants are also encouraged to send photos, tweet or post on Facebook to win prizes. Anyone registering later than May 1 will receive their race t-shirt after June 6.
• Furry Friend: While signing up for Jodi's Race, runners/walkers can also register their dog for $5 and receive a goody bag and Paws for Awareness dog tag courtesy of VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital. On race day, participants and their furry friends can stop by the VCA-sponsored Dog Zone for water, treats, pet clean-up bags and more.
• Check Your Eggs: At the race finish line, all runners/walkers will receive a plastic break-apart egg that includes an awareness message and a prize -- anything from a teal awareness bracelet to dinner or a night in a hotel.

The Ova Sleep for Awareness option is also available again this year. Those who choose to sleep in on race day and skip the run/walk are encouraged to show their support by registering online to receive the official Jodi's Race t-shirt (mailed after June 6). Additionally, if they visit any Front Range-location of the Delectable Egg on Friday, June 12, five percent of the check will be donated to Jodi's Race and the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance.

Registration for the 2015 Jodi's Race for Awareness is underway at www.jodisrace.org, with special early registration discounts available until April 1. Runners and walkers are urged to increase the impact of their participation by forming teams with their family, friends and co-workers. Great prizes will be awarded to the top fundraisers.

The first Race for Awareness in June 2010 was inspired by Colorado native Jodi Brammeier, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008. A young wife and mother, Brammeier believed she would have discovered the cancer earlier if she had been more aware of the symptoms. It became her goal to establish a race to raise awareness about ovarian cancer so that other women might find their cancer earlier and stand a better chance to win against the disease. Unfortunately, Brammeier lost her battle with ovarian cancer August 3, 2010; however, her memory lives on in the annual COCA fundraiser.

In the five years since Brammeier's vision became a reality, the annual race has grown to be the largest ovarian cancer race west of the Mississippi with 3,000 participants and has raised more than $700,000 to support Colorado women affected by ovarian cancer. All money raised remains in Colorado and funds programs that support women with ovarian cancer, including COCACares Financial Assistance, Nicki's Circle Support Groups, Ovarian Cancer Resource Guide, Comfort Kits for the newly diagnosed, the annual Raise Awareness campaign, and Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women's Lives®, a national program of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA). To learn more about COCA and its programs, visit www.colo-ovariancancer.org.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in females in the United States but it is the deadliest gynecologic cancer. An annual gynecological exam does not check for this cancer and there is no specific screening test for ovarian cancer so being able to recognize the symptoms, leading to early detection, is critical to saving lives. The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary urgency or frequency.