Emer Casey Foundation volunteers with Sonia O’Sullivan (centre).

Olympian Sonia O’Sullivan will help raise awareness of ovarian cancer this month at the annual Emer Casey Fun Run in Melbourne.

This year participants can take part in 5km or 10km runs; the event will be at Monash University’s Clayton campus on May 26.

The run is held in honour of the young Corkwoman who passed away in 2006 just weeks after she was diagnosed with ovarian/uterine cancer. Emer Casey was from Youghal; she died four days after her 28th birthday.

The Emer Casey Foundation supports the research into ovarian cancer being carried out in Australia by the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

On the day there will be a Poc Fada competition and prizes for the race winners – along with the chance to run alongside O’Sullivan.

Further details on the run are available at run4ec.com.au.

The former world champion lives in Melbourne with her husband Nic Bideau and their two daughters Ciara, 13, and Sophie, 11. The Cobh native recently served as the chef de mission for Team Ireland at the London Olympics.

Last month, University College Cork  named its new international standard 400m track after the champion athlete.  The original track at the Mardyke sports grounds was destroyed by  flooding of the Lee in 2009 and the university invested €650,000 in the new facility.

Sonia O'Sullivan on the starting line at the 2011 Emer Casey Fun Run.

Sonia O’Sullivan is supporting the battle against ovarian cancer again this year by participating in an upcoming run to raise funds for the cause.

O’Sullivan, 42, will take part in the Emer Casey Fun Run in Melbourne on May 27, prior to returning home to Ireland in time for the Olympics.

The mum-of-two is due to carry the Olympic torch in Dublin on June 6, before she flies to London to begin her duties as Chef de Mission at this year’s games.

O’Sullivan says that taking part in the Fun Run will be a great way to bid goodbye to her adopted home of Australia before she returns to her home country for several months.

The Cork born athlete became an Australian citizen in 2006 and now divides her time between Melbourne and Ireland. The Emer Casey Fun Run commemorates a 28-year-old Youghal solicitor who died of ovarian cancer in 2006 and raises funds to support Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

A former 5,000m World Champion and Olympic silver medalist, O’Sullivan’s involvement with The Emer Casey Foundation began in Ireland when she ran in the Youghal fun run some years ago.

“It’s my last run before I head over for the Olympics so I’m looking forward to it,” O’Sullivan told the Irish Echo.

“My younger daughter Sophie and I will be heading to Ireland the following week.

“These days I just run to keep fit so I’m kind of whatever about the training.

“I’ve been doing different things instead. I’ve been doing some swimming and cycling so that keeps me fit anaerobically. I can’t run so fast anymore.

“Things like the charity events. It gives me something to look forward to and you have a bit of a goal and a target as well.

“I just use that as a way for me to stay fit and also to help out a good cause.

“The first one I did was in Youghal in County Cork and then the past three years I’ve done the one in Melbourne,” she added.

The Olympic medalist urges those who may have recently moved to Melbourne from Ireland to come along and join in the festivities on the day.

“I’d like to encourage any Irish people in Melbourne to come and run with us,” she explained.

“We’ve been out to Gaelic Park in Melbourne and we’ve spoken to a few of them there so we’re hoping they’re going to come along.

“There’s always a bit of good Irish fun and we like to share that with the Aussies,” she laughed.

This is the fifth year of the annual Emer Casey Fun Run, which will take place at Clayton Campus, Monash University.

Registration begins at 8.30am with a 10.00am start for 10km and 10.15am start for 5km .

Last year over $25,000 was raised to support the Peter Mac Foundation VBCRC Cancer Genetics Program and the Kathleen Cunningham Foundation Consortium both of which focus on research into Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

For more information about the Emer Casey Fun Run and to register, visit http://www.emercaseyrunmelbourne.com/.

Jasmine Angus, Sonia O'Sullivan, Maria Twomey and Tarryn Bennett pictured at last year's run.

Sonia O’Sullivan is set to support the battle against ovarian cancer again this year by participating in a Melbourne fundraising run.

The Emer Casey Fun Run commemorates a 28-year-old Youghal solicitor who died of ovarian cancer in 2006 and raises funds to support Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

The former 5,000m World Champion and Olympic silver medalist involvement with the Emer Casey Foundation began in Ireland when she ran in the Youghal fun run some years ago.

“I just thought it was amazing,” O’Sullivan told the Irish Echo.

“It was quite a small event, a family-run event in honour of the Casey’s daughter. It just had a very positive energy about the whole charity and the event.”

The Olympic medalist didn’t hesitate to say yes when approached to run in the Melbourne event last year.

In 2010, over 160 people participated and raised over $23,000 to support research into familial breast and ovarian cancer.

This year’s event has already raised $1,617. It will take place at Monash University’s Clayton Campus on Sunday, May 22.

O’Sullivan’s participation will double as a final practice before she competes in the Cork City Marathon on June 6.

The 41-year-old mother-of- two divides her time between Melbourne and Ireland since becoming an Australian citizen in 2006.

“If anything, it’s different in that when I’m in Australia [life is] centered a lot on family life, kids and school and things like that,” said O’Sullivan, mother to Ciara, 11, and Sophie, 9.

“Because I’m only [in Ireland] for a certain amount of time I tend to run around and do 101 things and be extra busy. Then when you come back here I suppose you just have to adapt and get into a different routine.

“I’m lucky it’s Easter holidays at the moment, it gives me a chance to take my time and just relax for a few weeks.”

Olympic Preparations

O’Sullivan faces a busy 12 months leading Ireland’s athletes as chef de mission for the 2012 London Olympics.

The Irish backroom team is currently being put in place and the country’s athletes are being put through their paces in qualification.

Supporting athletes outside of her own discipline has been an enjoyable learning experience, said O’Sullivan.

“When I was a top athlete and part of the team, you were focused on what you were doing and you didn’t really pay much attention to the other athletes doing different sports in the Olympic Team.

“Now, I’m learning a lot more about the people who ran the team when I was in it and the different sports.

“There are so many good athletes in Ireland. You don’t realise it when you’re so focused on one sport,” she said.

For more information about the Emer Casey Fun Run and to register, visit http://www.emercaseyrunmelbourne.com/