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 Courtney Clark is one active mAss Kicker! She is a great example of how an intimidating cancer diagnosis can’t prevent you from doing what you feel is right. She has been involved with many organizations such as Planet Cancer, the LiveSTRONG Young Adult Alliance, and the Houston Humane Society. She is even starting her own nonprofit organization called Austin Involved. We were very lucky to find time to ask her a few questions.
 mK: Why did you start Austin Involved? How did you get involved with Planet Cancer?
CC: I started Austin Involved because it was obvious, thanks to my time with Planet Cancer, that young people WANT a cause to be involved in, but sometimes it can be hard to find your calling. I mean, once the surgeons start cutting you open, you might realize cancer should be your thing. But if you HAVEN’T had that thrilling and not-entirely-enjoyable experience, you may not know what your passion as a volunteer advocate is, yet. Austin Involved is a way for young people in my town, Austin, to do a little experimenting and find that out.
I found the Planet Cancer community when I was post-treatment and back to reality, but felt like my friends and family didn’t quite get the lasting impact of my diagnosis. I needed to hear that I wasn’t a hypochondriacal worrywart, and thankfully I discovered Planet Cancer. I was already working in the nonprofit world, so when I later found a job posting about doing fundraising and marketing for a nonprofit specializing in young adults with cancer, I thought, “That’s my job!” I guess they thought so, too. ;)
mK: It’s funny how things fall into place. It’s really about finding opportunities and actually pursuing them. What/ when was your diagnosis? How did you find out about your diagnosis?
CC: I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in November of 2005. I was 26 years old, newly married, in a new job, and living in a new city, far away from my family. I was actually on hold to be a bone marrow donor at the time, which was the worst irony of my diagnosis. I was a great match to a stranger off the registry, also a young adult. I turned on my cell phone one Sunday evening after a weekend getaway to find a 9pm voice mail from my dermatologist. Even when you aren’t expecting bad news, somehow the words “It’s your doctor. Call me no matter when you get this message. Here is my home number, here is my cell number,” make you realize your world is gonna change.
mK: Yeah, that’s kinda like when you were a little kid and you break something. Your parents call for you, but you KNOW what’s coming. You know something is going to happen, but you gotta face the music! What were your symptoms for melanoma?
CC: My only symptom was a large, growing mole on my right upper arm, which I have since dubbed VoldeWART. In typical young adult fashion, it didn’t look like what the doctors would have expected for cancer, so the only reason they biopsied it was because I insisted. I’m very lucky I did, because – though it was small on the surface – it was already invasive at stage 1b by the time we caught it.
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The Intercultural Cancer Council (ICC) promotes policies, programs, partnerships, and research to eliminate the unequal burden of cancer among racial and ethnic minorities and medically underserved populations in the United States and its associated territories.