By August Bridges (Ocean Lakes High School)
The overall breast cancer awareness rate is only 10.2%, according to the National Library of Medicine. That’s why for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many in the Tidewater region focused on building awareness to help save lives.
“Breast cancer affects one out of every eight women,” senior president of Young Women’s Leadership Club Madison Murrell said.
Madison is a Math and Science Academy student at Ocean Lakes and used a unique approach for her senior project by creating a 5K race called “The Breast Run Ever.”
“Once I started my shadowing over the summer, it was so impactful and really motivated me to make my project as impactful and as large as possible,” Murrell said. “As a freshman, I volunteered at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and worked in the oncology department. That experience really taught me a lot about the empathy side of healthcare.”
Madison created a website for her race where runners would pay an entry fee of $35 and donate their choice amount of money.
She raised a total of $9,260 and will have $6,263 to donate towards the Susan G. Komen foundation.
English teacher Kim Bedinger signs the survivor banner at the Frick & Frack 5K on Oct. 18, 2025. She also ran the Breast Run Ever 5K on Oct. 24.
“I have participated in the Frick & Frack 5K, the Breast Run Ever 5K and the Pink Out occasions held in the community,” English department chair Kim Bedinger said.
Bedinger was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2024 at 57 years old.
She is one of many people in our community who are affected by the disease that some might not even know about.
“When I was 25, I was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells, so I always knew it was a possibility,” Bedinger said. “However, 25 years went by, so I figured I was okay. It was something I always knew was possible, but it was still so unexpected.”
People can get breast cancer at any age, even as an adolescent or young adult, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“During my shadowing, I saw so many young women as young as 17 diagnosed with breast cancer,” Madison said. “Seeing these young women have breast cancer really motivated me to raise awareness about it and make a difference.”