Grab your pink, bring your friends and family, and get ready for a fun morning at Lake Gregory. Mountains Community Health and Soroptimist International of Rim of the World invite the community to the fifth annual Walk in the Mountains on Saturday, Oct. 3 in Crestline.
The annual event combines an important cause with plenty of community fun, all in support of breast cancer awareness and early detection. This year, all proceeds from the walk will go toward early detection ultrasound equipment at Mountains Community Health, helping expand access to important screening services right here in the mountains.
Adding to the energy this year will be Tracey Ellert, who will serve as the event’s emcee. A local writer, actor, comedian, director and co-founder of Rim Youth Theatre, Ellert has spent more than 20 years creating and performing original children’s entertainment. Her background includes improv training with The Groundlings and iO. With her comedy and performance background, she will help keep the morning fun, upbeat and entertaining from start to finish.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Crest Forest Senior Citizens at Leisure Shores, with the walk starting at 9 a.m. Participants can choose between the scenic 2.6-mile route around Lake Gregory or the one-mile track at the Meadows.
And the morning is about much more than just the walk. Participants can enjoy food vendors, a silent auction, local merchants, costume contests for individuals, teams and dogs, and the always-popular Breast of Show Bra Contest. Whether you walk, cheer from the sidelines, dress up your dog or simply come out to support the cause, there will be plenty of ways to join in.
Registration is $20 in advance and $25 at the door; children ages 12 and under participate free. Pre-registered participants will also receive a complimentary event T-shirt.
While the event is designed to bring the community together for a fun morning, its message is an important one. Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers among American women, making access to screening and early detection especially important.
“Early detection saves lives,” said Virgil Robertson, lead clinician at the Rural Health Clinic. “The American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging recommend that women begin annual mammograms at age 40 – and that’s the standard we follow here at MCH.”
For women who may not qualify for routine mammography or who do not have insurance, Soroptimist International of Rim of the World is offering free mammograms through its Mammo-Grant Program during October. The program is available to women under age 40 with a family history of breast cancer and to women without health insurance. Information and the application are available at sirow.org/mammogrant-programs.
Mountains Community Health offers advanced breast screening close to home through its Genius 3D mammography system by Hologic. During October, patients who complete a mammogram at MCH will receive a free goodie bag while supplies last and be entered into a raffle for a prize donated by Hilltop Haus in Running Springs.
To register for the walk, visit sirow.org/breast-cancer-awareness-walk. To schedule a mammogram at Mountains Community Health, call the Radiology Department at (909) 436-3130.
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