Vermont Skiers Raise Funds for Young Breast Cancer Survivors

A sea of pink flooded the slopes at Killington Resort this weekend as hundreds of skiers and snowboarders proved that fighting breast cancer can look like pure joy.

The annual "Love Your Peaks" event brought together survivors, supporters, and advocates for one powerful mission: getting young women to trust their bodies and push for early detection. For 26-year-old Macee Maddock of Scotia, New York, that message is personal.

When Maddock first noticed something wrong, doctors brushed off her concerns because of her age. She was eventually diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer at just 26 years old.

"The current recommendations for mammograms or even to self check is not until you're 45, and if I waited until then I wouldn't be here," Maddock explained from the mountain. Her story echoes the very reason Boarding for Breast Cancer was founded 30 years ago.

The organization started when professional snowboarders lost a friend to the disease after she was repeatedly told she was "too young" for cancer. Since then, they've made it their mission to teach early detection and prevention to people of all ages.

"Know your body, know what's going on with yourself," said Maggie Gonzalez of Boarding for Breast Cancer. The funds raised help survivors get back on the mountain, reclaiming the joy that cancer tried to steal.

The Ripple Effect

The pink wave at Killington represents something bigger than one day of fundraising. Every person in pink sends a message to young women everywhere: your concerns are valid, your instincts matter, and catching cancer early saves lives.

The event creates a visible community of survivors, caregivers, and supporters who refuse to let anyone fight alone. Maddock noticed the impact immediately.

"A lot of people think that they go through this on their own, but seeing people in pink it's like 'hey I've been in your shoes,'" she said. The community includes survivors, "previvors," caregivers, and what Maddock calls "thrivers."

That community grows stronger each year, armed with a simple truth that's saving lives: cancer doesn't check your birth certificate first.