North Carolina Town Holds Biggest Breast Cancer Fundraiser

A small town in North Carolina is gearing up for breast cancer awareness month with two fundraisers this October.  Blowing Rock, NC is famous for their roaring winds and high cliffs. However, they also want to be famous for raising awareness about breast cancer.

As with most community-based events, the passion to organize and motivate people often comes from a deeply personal experience of seeing a loved one suffer. Doc McCoy is one of the community’s most passionate advocates for the prevention of breast cancer. After losing his little sister Rotina, he has since vowed to do everything that he can to raise awareness.

After going through a breast cancer diagnosis, Irene Sawyer also found the strength to help other survivors. As the founder of the High-Country Breast Cancer Foundation, she has helped hundreds of other neighbors in their fight. Her first-hand experience about surgery, chemotherapy, and survivorship has inspired thousands of women in the community.

High Country Breast Cancer Foundation has been awarded as the Best Non-Profit Organization for 2018 in Watauga County. They are an organization that raises and provides funds for their own neighbors. They hope to make a difference in their neighbor’s lives by providing services such as childcare, support classes, and transportation to medical appointments.

For 2018, the HCBCF will be hosting two events in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The first is the recently concluded 7^th Annual Mining for a Purpose which happened last October 6. The second is the much-awaited 5K Walk/Run for Breast Cancer.

Formerly known as Mining for a Cure, Mining for a Purpose has raised over $70,000 in the last 6 years.  It is one of the town’s most popular events during awareness month where the community comes together for a common goal: raise funds for their neighbors.

The Annual High Country Walk/Run for Breast Cancer will be held on October 27 at Blowing Rock’s American Legion Hall. The event will commence at 0900H and will feature a host of other fun events such as live music and raffles. The 5K event has slowly but surely gained a steady following in the last couple of years with 350 attendees in 2017. Of course, the organizers are looking to surpass that number this year.

Do you think they’ll get to 500 attendees? We sure hope so! Good luck to the men and women behind High Country Breast Cancer Foundation.