Three years after she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, Nicole Clark overheard a radio talk about the Avon 39 Washington DC Walk as she was driving to work. A total of 39.3 miles, the walk took place over the course of two days to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. Clark would have no clue that her decision to walk the Avon 39 would end up leading to the creation of her organization called Walk 4 Mountains.
Currently the second most common cancer in women in the United States, breast cancer accounts for about 30% of new female cancer cases each year. On May 1st, 2013, a lump was found during Clark’s routine breast exam, and she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. Three years later, when she heard that the Avon 39 Walk would take place on the three year anniversary of her breast cancer being discovered, she took it as a sign that she had to walk it. With her family helping her the whole way through, Clark finished the walk and decided to come back the next year. However, it was not long before the walk was canceled for years to come. Because of this, Clark decided to take matters into her own hands and create her own walk. “We signed up for Avon 39, did it the next year, went to sign up again, and it was canceled, and that’s when Walk 4 Mountains was born,” Clark explained.
Walk 4 Mountains has taken place annually in the Lovettsville Green for seven years now, and all of the money raised is donated to breast cancer foundations each year. A variety of activities are available to those who show up, and this year featured live bands all day long and a variety of small businesses who set up stands at the event, including Magnolias at the Mill, Moo Thru ice cream, Endhardt Vineyards, and Bully Goat Farms. For the past three years, Crystal Hall has been a part of Walk 4 Mountains and has sold items at a stand each year. A 2014 breast cancer survivor, Hall creates and sells different pillows, embroidered items, laser cut shadow boxes, and more. With all of the money she makes, Hall helps cancer patients. “I found out the hard way that insurance doesn’t cover everything, so my proceeds go to buy wigs and prosthetics for cancer patients,” Hall stated.
Clark loves to see all of her fellow breast cancer survivors come to participate each year. “I always end up crying every year, because somebody will come to me with a story, and of course I sympathize with it,” confided Clark. However, a specific story truly moved her. A few years back, after everyone had finished the walk, it started raining and most everybody began to leave. Those who stayed gathered under the pavilion, listening to the singers and chatting. Clark noticed two warriors who had finished their walk and invited them to join the rest of the group under the pavilion. When Clark began to talk with one of them, the warrior thanked Clark, telling her that she had saved her life. While Clark was going through chemo-therapy, she gave a speech at Lovettsville Elementary about breast cancer. The warrior had seen it and felt moved to get her 3D mammogram, discovering that she had stage three breast cancer. “And that’s why I do it,” expressed Clark. “That’s why I tell my story. That’s why I tell everyone to get preventive maintenance, and make sure that they get their 3D mammogram.”
Although Clark’s breast cancer journey was a difficult experience to overcome, she took her situation and hardships and created something good out of it. Every year, Walk 4 Mountains provides a chance to show support for warriors and spreads awareness to the community.