On August 30, 2014, 3,500 women across Virginia woke up early for a good cause. This year, starting at 8:00 a.m., a very refreshing jog through the Albemarle countryside was the scene for the Charlottesville 4 miler. It cost the runners $50, $48 for Charlottesville Track Club members, to race, but was for a very great cause. All funds went to the UVA Cancer Center’s Breast Care Program. Breast Care Awareness has had a meteoric rise since 1991 when the color pink been on an associated with the cause through the hard work of Susan G. Komen. She started handing out pink ribbons at the New York City race for breast cancer survivors. The ribbons were inspired by the yellow ribbons handed out for awareness of the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979. Since then, the color pink has been everywhere during the month of October. The bright color has been seen everywhere from 5-Hour Energy bottles, to football fields at all levels, and to many random people’s clothes, (especially boys, who finally have an excuse to wear their pink wardrobe).

The Women’s Four Miler race also raised awareness for online donations, so that the Breast Care Program can raise a lofty goal of $400,000. “I think it’s for a really good cause,” said Jessica Kompelien, a 9^th and 10^th grade English teacher at Western Albemarle. She was one of many Western Albemarle teachers that raced in the charity run. “We all did it for Mrs. White, another English teacher at this school, who has breast cancer. We wanted to do something to support her.,” said Kompelien. It was really a great gesture for a woman who has gone through a lot. And what is more fun than a little bit of friendly competition between the women and girls of Virginia? As this race continues to become more and more popular every year, the UVA Cancer Center will continue to save more lives all across Virginia and if they find a cure, the world.