Students participated at the third annual Breast Cancer Awareness walk at OHS on Oct. 13. Health teacher and founder of the walk Rose Hickey started the event to make students more aware of the effects of cancer.

“[I’ve done] a section on cancer ever since I started teaching health, and I thought why don’t we do something for the students,” Hickey said. “So one year my students got really involved, and that was the first year that we did it, and I continued it from there on.“

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 out of 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and Hickey wants students to be more aware of these statistics.

“It is telling students that anyone can get breast cancer whether you are 17 or 70, “ Hickey said. “And I think a lot of times that students just don’t learn or are aware of breast cancer or any type of cancer until someone they know is affected by it .”

Freshman Gracie Bourn wanted to join the walk in support of her great grandmother who was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“There needs to be a cure for cancer and for breast cancer,” Bourn said. “It’s such a big problem.”

The preparation for the event involved selling bracelets and t-shirts, along with organizing food for the event. According to Hickey, although preparation for the walk was a big part of it, the walk itself was Hickey’s favorite part. The event has now become a fundraiser as well as a walk to raise awareness.

“We try to raise a little money for the cancer society,” Hickey said. “Last year we made almost $2,000, and this year we will be somewhere around $1,000.”

Along with Hickey, Bourn also believed that the walk was worth all of the preparation and organization that it took to make the walk happen.

“My favorite part is how many students showed up and everyone walking together and being one,” Bourn said.

This year’s walk was dedicated to OHS’s own speech and debate teacher Barbara Lowe who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Freshman Suhani Patel also joined the walk to support the cause and show her appreciation for Lowe.

“It’s helping people with breast cancer,” Patel said.

In the future, Hickey hopes to expand the walk to a community-wide event instead of keeping it inclusive to students at OHS.

“One thing I’d like to do is have the walk on a Saturday morning and make it just a huge fundraiser,” Hickey said. “The reason why I started it here is to have to students really involved.”