Utah Valley Chamber and UCCU to help hit goal during Pillar of the Valley Event
PROVO, Utah, May 17, 2022—Carine Clark is raising $100,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation in support of Ovarian Cancer research, and the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, UCCU, and other participants plan to help her reach that goal tonight at the Pillar of the Valley awards gala.
2022 marks the 10th anniversary of Clark’s Ovarian Cancer diagnosis. With only a 20% chance of recovery at the time, she is a rare survivor of the cancer.
Following her cancer treatments, Clark became an avid cyclist and joined the Huntsman Heroes, a team of women cyclists riding in the Little Red Riding Hood cycling event in Logan to raise funds for women’s cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Clark said over the years she has been able to raise more and more funds for cancer research as a Huntsman Hero. This year, the 10th anniversary of her diagnosis, she plans to raise $100,000.
“It’s hard to describe when you cross the finish line in the race,” said Clark. “There are so many stories. During the race people will ride up to you and say, ‘hey hero! What kind of cancer?’ In my last race, I ran into a grandmother who lost her daughter to breast cancer and her two granddaughters were riding with her.”
Clark has already raised $92,599 towards her goal of $100,000. Catching wind of her story and her goal, the Utah Valley Chamber decided they were in a position to help her raise the remainder of the funds during tonight’s Pillar of the Valley Awards Gala.
“This is such a worthy cause of one of Utah Valley’s pillars – Carine Clark,” said Curtis Blair, Utah Valley Chamber president and CEO. “She is almost there, and though we have no doubt she’ll achieve her lofty goal, we decided to see if we could help her get there tonight. We have partnered with UCCU, who will provide additional donations matching those raised by willing Pillar of the Valley participants during our gala. We are confident we can help Carine achieve her goal, and maybe even go beyond.”
Participants at the gala will be invited to make donations during the event. UCCU will match received donations up to $10,000. All proceeds will be made to Carine Clark who will donate the funds to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation specifically for Ovarian Cancer Research.
The Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce will present the 2022 Pillar of the Valley awards to Carine Clark during the annual Pillar of the Valley Gala on May 17, 2022, at the Utah Valley Convention Center. Steve Densley will also receive the honor posthumously.
The Pillar of the Valley Award honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the business, civic, social, education, and cultural climate of Utah Valley. The gala is one of the premier social events in Utah Valley, attracting key business, civic and religious leaders.
“We are so pleased to honor Carine and Steve,” said Curtis Blair, president, and CEO of Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce. “They are two of the greatest pillars our valley has ever seen and have made our community not only a great place to live, but one of the premier business hubs in the nation. For decades, Carine has broken through barriers to lead multiple companies to greatness in Utah’s tech sector. Steve was actively engaged in business and founded the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce that later became the Utah Valley Chamber.”
