Breast cancer survivor Dottie Blackwell will enter her first 5K race this weekend when she walks in Run for Hope at Mayfaire Town Center on Saturday. With each step, she’ll be helping to raise money for Women of Hope, a local organization that supports breast cancer patients.
The cause is very important to Blackwell, of Wilmington. She finished chemotherapy treatments and 28 rounds of radiation last spring, and has since undergone reconstructive surgeries to reverse a bilateral mastectomy.
“It was daunting. I had never been around anyone who had cancer. It does not run in my family,” said Blackwell, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in Oct. 2013. She contacted Women of Hope’s founder Elizabeth Barnes, whose organization provides educational programs, financial assistance and emotional support for breast cancer patients.
“When I contacted Elizabeth, she took a huge burden off of me. She told me exactly what to do. She even went to my chemo,” Blackwell said.
To train for the 5K, a distance equivalent to approximately 3.1 miles, Blackwell has been walking and riding her bike.
“I was pretty active before this, and I tried to stay as active as possible during treatment,” she said.
Barnes connected Blackwell with Cleaning for a Reason, an organization that provides free house cleaning services for people undergoing cancer treatments.
Barnes and her husband, Kenny, founded Women of Hope in 2010 after their 32-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, was diagnosed with breast cancer. The organization serves patients and their families in eight counties: New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, Pender, Duplin, Sampson, Onslow and Bladen.
“Each county that we serve is responsible for helping raise funds for their county that stays local,” Barnes said.
Proceeds from the Run for Hope 5K will stay in New Hanover County, where Women of Hope helps approximately 200 people each year, Barnes said.
The race is organized by Go Time, a Wilmington-based event management company.
“It’s important that local nonprofit charities like Women of Hope — which, in my opinion, is one of the best examples of how love can come from pain and despair — receive proper funding,” said Colin Hackman, Go Time’s president. “They’ve always looked for unique ways to raise money for their mission.”
The Run for Hope 5K will start on Sept. 5 at 8 a.m across from O2 Fitness in Mayfaire. The top three overall male and female runners will receive a cash prize of $100. The top three male and female runners in each age group will receive medals. All children who complete the course will receive a finisher medal.
A stroller-friendly 1-mile walk will start at 8:05 a.m.
To register, visit https://its-go-time.com/women-of-hope-5k
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