Karen Clark and Wayne Clark sell handmade signs at the Medicine Hat and District Farmer's Market ( Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNEWSToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

smile sunday

From cancer to sign-making: Couple finds new passion following diagnosis

Aug 23, 2020 | 10:26 AM

MEDICINE HAT AB- Step into the Medicine Hat Farmers’ Market and adorned along the perimeter are wooden signs with sayings sparking inspiration, humor, and just about every emotion.

Behind the signs is Karen Clark of Karen Clark Custom Signs and her husband Wayne from Schuler. Together they work to create each sign using a hot tool which can take as long as five hours each.

The duo began creating signs after the couple was both diagnosed with cancer, now dedicating about 25 to 30 hours a week making signs.

“About four years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery, and I used to clean houses for a living and between that and other surgeries I couldn’t do that anymore, so I had to do something or I was going to go crazy so I started doing this as a hobby,” Clark said.

Karen underwent a double mastectomy and a year after Karen’s diagnosis, Wayne found out he had Colon Cancer. Both of them are now cancer-free.

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“ It wasn’t that bad for me I just felt bad that any woman would have to have them removed. We got through it good. They diagnosed it quick,” Wayne Clark said,

And it was their children that pushed them to do more with her talent, by coming to the Medicine Hat Farmers market as a vendor.

“I started with one table, and two and now I have four tables,” Clark said.

As for what it is like working together? The couple married 26 years says it’s all about teamwork—sort of.

“I didn’t have no choice,” laughed husband Wayne.

“I cut them for her and I do all the hard work and she does all the easy work,” he joked.

But the impact of the signs on the people that come by every weekend at the farmers market, make it all worth it, according to the couple.

“A lot of people come and have quite the chuckle. I’ve got some humorous signs and laughter is the only way to get through things some times.” Clark said.