EP 119: Founder of Ovarcome, Runsi Sen: A Journey of Tribute, Purpose, and Global Impact in the Fight Against Ovarian Cancer

Runsi Sen is the Founder, President, and CEO of Ovarcome, a leading global advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness, funding research, and providing financial, psycho-social, and informational assistance to empower women and their families in “Ovarcoming” ovarian cancer.

Runsi lost her beloved mother to ovarian cancer, and in her memory—and with her inspiration—she founded Ovarcome. With a vision rooted in empathy, equity, empowerment, and impact, she has led the organization’s expansion into a globally recognized platform that bridges clinical care, advocacy, and community outreach. Under her leadership, Ovarcome has reached millions through awareness campaigns, support initiatives, and direct services—all provided to patients at no cost.

She holds an MBA in Strategy and Marketing from Rice University and a Master’s degree in Economics. Her academic background, global experience, and personal journey as a caregiver bring a unique, deeply human perspective to her work in nonprofit leadership and patient advocacy.

Runsi is a two-time TEDx speaker and, most recently, she led the publication of Ovarcoming: Stories of Hope & Healing, and has been recognized with awards such as the Global Impact Award from the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition and the Global Advocacy Award from the International Gynecologic Cancer Society. She also serves on the Rice Business Alumni Board, advises MD Anderson Cancer Center, and was named one of Houston’s Top 30 Influential Women in 2025.

Key themes emerging out of our conversation:

• Take your time to choose, but once you do, commit fully and own your path.
• Using the “deathbed perspective”—making choices your future self will not regret.
• Embracing diverse perspectives, how different minds can come together to achieve a shared vision.
• It’s not just about the work—it’s about how we come together as humans to build, celebrate, and grow as a team.
• A strong 'why' keeps you going—even when the work is tough.
• Choosing to transform personal grief into purpose.
• Not every 'no' is because of you—sometimes it's just about timing, priorities, or limited resources.
• Listening to what’s uncomfortable is often where growth starts.
• Challenges often carry the seeds of possibility—we just have to stay open to finding them.
• The word ‘Survivor’ gives power to the disease—‘Overcomer’ gives it back to the person.
• BEACH—a symptom awareness tool to bridge the gap in ovarian cancer detection.
• In mission-driven work, alignment of talent is as critical as ability.
• Entrepreneurship isn’t just strategy—it’s intuition, courage, and heart.
• When you’re walking the path meant for you, even exhaustion feels like joy.
• Being emotionally aware isn’t a weakness—it’s a leadership edge.
• It’s time to normalize flexibility and humanity—life happens, and people shouldn’t have to apologize for it.
• Corporate spaces are still built for extroverts, but true inclusion means valuing all ways of thinking and expressing.
• You can’t lead with impact if you’re hiding who you really are.
• Compassion is the driving force behind, um, everything in life.

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