Hope in Motion: How the Jodi 5K Turned Grief into a Movement of Giving Back

Some of the most powerful movements start small — with one person, one memory, and one community willing to show up.

That’s exactly how the Jodi 5K began.

A Tribute Born From Love

In October 2021, Sanjay Premakumar lost his wife, Jodi Lynn Koviach, to lung cancer. Jodi was an avid runner, but what she loved even more than the miles was the community running built around her — the friendships, the shared time together, the sense of belonging that came with every step.

Sanjay and Jodi with their children.

So when Sanjay and a circle of Jodi’s friends, including her running group the Forehead Flyers, wanted to honor her, there was really only one way to do it: with a run.

They organized a memorial 5K through Forest Hills, a tribute that reflected everything Jodi valued. More than 220 runners showed up that first year, and together they raised $25,000 for Lung Cancer Initiative — a remarkable outpouring of love in a moment of deep loss.

From One Run to a Lasting Legacy

The response was so moving that Sanjay and a growing group of organizers, now known as the Jodi 5K Committee, knew Jodi’s story could do even more. The following year, they launched the First Annual Jodi 5K Run and Walk.

Members of the Jodi 5K Committee and the Forehead Flyers, the friends who turned a tribute into a tradition.

It hasn’t stopped growing since.

Today, the race draws more than 600 participants each year. Alongside generous sponsors and donors, the Jodi 5K community has raised nearly $500,000 to support lung cancer research, education, and survivor programs — funding that fuels real progress and real hope for patients and families.

Five Years Later, Still Growing

This November marks the 5th Annual Jodi 5K — five years since the race began, and just over five years since Jodi’s passing. What started as a tribute among friends has become one of Lung Cancer Initiative’s most impactful fundraising events, a testament to what a community can build together when it leads with heart.

Hundreds of runners and walkers set off from the start line at the Jodi 5K.

The race brings the community together for a chip-timed 5K run or walk, complete with finisher’s awards, t-shirts, and post-race food and refreshments — a true celebration of connection, movement, and giving back.