Dipsea is Paused for 2024
Physical activity is a very important component of overall wellness and studies have shown that it plays a significant role in breast cancer risk reduction, recovery after a breast cancer diagnosis and breast cancer recurrence prevention. The 21st Annual Dipsea Hike took place Saturday, September 16, 2023 in Old Mill Park, Mill Valley, CA. Check out the photos here.
Thank you to our 2023 sponsors!
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2022 Hike
The 20th Annual Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer took place on September 24, 2022. View pictures at zbclink.org/2022pics.
2021 In-person and Virtual Hike
The 19th Annual Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer celebrated our organization's 25th year! The in-person event was held at Old Mill Park in Mill Valley, CA on September 25, 2021. The virtual event took place between September 18 and October 9. Thank you to all who joined us! Download pictures at zbclink.org/2021pics
2020 Virtual Hike
2019 Hike
You can view pictures of the event at zbclink.org/2019dipsea.
Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer - Your Questions Answered!
Breast Cancer Action encourages people to consider four questions when contemplating participating in or supporting breast cancer walks. Here are our answers for the Dipsea Hike:
Q: How much of the money raised from the walk will go to breast cancer programs?
A: All of it! Cash and in-kind sponsorship and wonderful volunteers make this a low cost event to produce. All the donations from hikers and all the fundraising efforts by teams support ZBC programs.
Q: What breast cancer programs or research will the walk fund?
A: The cancer programs supported by the fundraising proceeds from the hike are the development and dissemination of ZBC's unique and innovative breast cancer risk reduction health education materials for youth and teens to any one who wants them for FREE!
Q: Do the walk’s sponsors increase women’s risk of breast cancer?
A: ZBC is very selective about who is solicited for support. Food items must all be minimally processed, plant based and as far as possible organic. Swag bag items must not include fragrances or ingredients known to be hormone disrupting or carcinogenic. Cash sponsors have been politely turned away if we have reason to believe that their business are not aligned with our health and wellness risk reduction messages.
Q: Does the walk present a one-sided picture of breast cancer that leaves some women out?
A: Participants range from 7 years of age to 70 years of age. People from all walks of life participate and volunteer. Men and women participate. Breast cancer survivors and their families, neighbors and friends. Every hike begins with a speaker and these have varied over the years to include fitness advocates, screening and breast-self exam advocates and survivor advocates. After every hike feedback is solicited and sometimes that feedback does suggest improvements that can be made. We take that feedback very seriously indeed.
But don't just take our word for it. If you have participated as a runner, hiker, volunteer, donor or sponsor to the Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast cancer anytime in the past 16 years and you want to suggest ways to continue to improve the value of the hike to all concerned please don't hesitate to contact us!
Background and History
Originally founded in 2002 as the Dipsea Hike/Run this event is now known as the Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer. This family friendly fundraiser supports Zero Breast Cancer's outreach and education efforts aimed at preventing breast cancer in the next generation. This signature event:
- Provides an opportunity to participate in a fun filled and spirited day – starting and ending in Old Mill Park, Mill Valley.
- Encourages participants to experience a 6-mile trail loop on Mt. Tamalpais - starting and ending with the famous Dipsea steps
- Creates sponsorship opportunities for local and national businesses
- Provides easy to use online team and individual fundraising tools
- Has many, varied, volunteer opportunities for community members
- Remembers Andrea Fox, a breast cancer activist and ZBC board member, who lost her life to breast cancer at 35 years of age
- Remembers Jerry Leith, passionate runner and dedicated supporter of Zero Breast Cancer, who lost his life to cancer in 2011
- Remembers Marjorie Bonner, mother of Annie Fox, who left a generous bequest to Zero Breast Cancer that we learned about in 2017 and announced at the 2018 Dipsea Hike
