Two Teal Sisters, One Shared Purpose: Debbie and Erica’s Story

For Debbie Stein and Erica Gaston, running is more than a personal goal. It is a way to honor their mothers, support people impacted by ovarian cancer, and build a friendship rooted in shared understanding.

Both women lost their mothers to ovarian cancer. Today, they are active members of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC), raising funds, volunteering, and sharing education throughout their communities. Their story reflects NOCC’s Community Outreach pillar, which brings people together to turn personal connections into meaningful action.

They call each other “teal sisters.” Their friendship began through running, but their shared purpose reaches far beyond the finish line.

Erica Gaston: Honoring Patricia through service and awareness

Erica Gaston is a retired New York City detective who spent her career in the Organized Crime Control Bureau. During her long working hours, her mother, Patricia, helped raise Erica’s daughter and nephew.

Patricia was a single mother of four who worked as a teacher’s aide in an elementary school. Erica remembers her as the center of their family, someone everyone turned to for advice, laughter, and support.

In July 2014, Patricia was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. Erica took on a caregiving role, helping arrange medical appointments and testing. She also tried to keep her mother smiling through treatment and difficult days.

When Patricia died in March 2015, Erica felt the loss of the family’s matriarch. She continues to honor her mother by supporting others affected by the disease.

Turning her mother’s legacy into community action

Erica’s involvement with NOCC began with a desire to help other families understand ovarian cancer. When Patricia was diagnosed, Erica and her family knew little about the disease. She wanted to help others find education and support during a difficult time.

Today, Erica participates in NOCC’s educational programs and health fairs throughout Long Island and Queens. She also serves on the committee for the Long Island Together in TEAL run/walk and volunteers on event day.

For approximately nine years, she has served as captain of “Patty Squad,” a team named in honor of her mother. The team gives family, friends, and supporters a way to come together around Patricia’s memory while supporting the ovarian cancer community. Erica shared:

“My volunteer work with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition helps me remember my mother and all the good things she did for people.”

For Erica, community outreach is a continuation of the care and generosity Patricia showed throughout her life.

Debbie Stein: Carrying her mother’s resilience forward

Debbie Stein’s mother was creative, organized, generous, and sometimes tough. She loved theater, travel, animals, books, and bringing people together. She also helped shape Debbie’s lifelong love of music and the performing arts.

A pediatrician for 30 years, Debbie has spent much of her life caring for others. She cared for her mother during her illness and now helps care for her father as he lives with dementia.

Debbie’s mother valued her independence. Even during ovarian cancer treatment, she tried to keep her life as unchanged as possible. After completing her first six months of chemotherapy, she traveled to South Africa for a safari. Debbie shared:

“She taught the true meaning of resilience.”

Her mother’s experience also helped Debbie recognize how much a person’s circumstances can affect their options. Her mother had access to healthcare, financial resources, and a strong network of family and friends. Debbie understood that not everyone has those same supports. Debbie shared:

“I know that she would want to give as many people the chance to choose the way that they would want to live with ovarian cancer.”

That belief helped guide Debbie’s fundraising and outreach. She also wanted to raise awareness about ovarian cancer signs and symptoms because her mother’s diagnosis was initially missed, delaying treatment.

Debbie is a major fundraiser for Long Island’s Together in TEAL run/walk and serves on its volunteer organizing committee. She also participates in educational outreach activities, with a particular focus on helping people recognize possible ovarian cancer symptoms.

Through these efforts, Debbie hopes to support survivors’ quality-of-life needs, advance research, and help others feel more informed about their health.

How running brought two teal sisters together

Debbie and Erica met through Team TEAL while participating in the 2023 New York City Marathon. Their training conversations quickly turned into a close friendship. Erica shared:

“We talked about our mothers, family and we quickly became fast friends.”

They now train and run together, supporting each other through athletic goals and the shared experience of losing their mothers.

Team TEAL is NOCC’s endurance fundraising community, bringing runners, walkers, cyclists, and other fitness enthusiasts together to raise funds and awareness for ovarian cancer. For Debbie and Erica, it offers a way to combine something they love with a cause that matters deeply to them.

Debbie has completed five marathons and, at the time of her questionnaire, was training for two more. One of her most meaningful moments was running the 2023 New York City Marathon with her mother’s picture on her back.

Erica ran the 2024 Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon for Team TEAL. In 2025, she completed the Boston Marathon and earned her Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star medal. She also reached her fundraising goal and shared her story in a News 12 Long Island interview. Erica shared:

“Representing the Ovarian Cancer community and honoring my mother Patricia was the best part of 2025.”

Their miles carry personal meaning, but their purpose is shared: honoring their mothers while supporting others impacted by ovarian cancer.

Building community beyond the finish line

Debbie and Erica’s involvement extends beyond running. Both are active supporters of Long Island’s annual Together in TEAL, NOCC’s national run/walk series that brings survivors, caregivers, legacy families, and supporters together.

Erica has served as captain of Patty Squad for approximately nine years and participates on the event committee. Debbie is a major fundraiser and volunteer committee member who also supports educational outreach.
For Debbie, the event offers a meaningful space for connection. Debbie shared:

“I think the survivors feel celebrated. And listening to the stories of survivors, caregivers and legacy family members is always powerful and touching.”

Both women also use community events and everyday conversations to share ovarian cancer education. Erica hopes other families can access information her family did not have when Patricia was diagnosed. Debbie wants people to recognize persistent symptoms and feel empowered to speak with a healthcare provider.

Their outreach shows that making a difference does not require running a marathon. It can begin with volunteering, sharing information, or showing up for someone who needs support.

Carrying their mothers’ legacies forward

For Debbie and Erica, their friendship is rooted in shared understanding and a desire to carry their mothers’ legacies forward. Their involvement with NOCC gives them a way to honor those memories while supporting others. Debbie shared:

“Everyone’s journey thorough grief and loss looks different. There is no timeline and no road map that anyone else can set for you.”

Erica encourages others who have lost a loved one to seek support, remember the good times, and find ways to honor that person that feel meaningful to them.

Their story is a reminder that there is no single way to get involved. Whether through running, volunteering, attending a community event, or sharing educational resources, each person can find a way to support the ovarian cancer community.

Together, we move forward, stronger, informed, and supported.