From a press release:
Interested in a New Year’s Day activity that combines fun, philanthropy and fitness? Registration is now open for a run to benefit Western North Carolina women with breast cancer. Proceeds will benefit local journalist and cancer survivor Karen Chávez and the non-profit, Hope Chest for Women.
The Karen Kicks Cancer event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1. Sponsored by the Asheville Track Club, the non-competitive run will begin at Carolina Day School (1345 Hendersonville Road, Asheville) and take participants along a rolling, four-mile course through Biltmore Forest. The event also includes a two-mile walk, random prizes, a raffle and a silent auction.
Chávez, a reporter for the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper for more than a decade, is well-known in the Asheville and larger Western North Carolina outdoors community for her tireless coverage of running races and other outdoors activities. An avid runner herself, Chávez has competed in several local and national races, including marathons.
In fall of 2013, Chávez was diagnosed with breast cancer and since then has been dedicated to her own recovery and to educating individuals across Western North Carolina about the disease, and in particular, the importance of understanding breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer.
Through her experience with battling breast cancer, Chávez encountered The Hope Chest for Women, which helps cover parts of medical care and provide financial resources for women with breast or gynecological cancer. Even with insurance and full time employment, the financial burdens associated with treatment costs can delay recovery and create a lot of extra stress as normal living expenses become unmanageable. It takes help from a whole network of friends, family and community resources to support cancer patients in treatment.
Registration for the event is $15 and is available online now here. Participants also will be able to register beginning at noon on the event day. For more information about the run, including how to volunteer, email ashevillenctrackclub@gmail.com. Please check out and share the link to the Facebook page.
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