VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Golfers hit the links at Virginia Beach National Golf Club for the 14th annual Sentara Health breast cancer fundraiser, helping provide critical services for uninsured and underinsured patients across Hampton Roads.
The tournament raises money for breast cancer support services, including mammograms, ultrasounds, and other resources for people who may otherwise struggle to access care.
For golfer Karla Moller, the cause is personal.
"I just lost my mother to triple negative cancer in June, so this is really important to me," Moller said. "We've been doing this for 14 years."
Among those supporting the event was breast cancer survivor Kristen Simcox, who has been cancer-free for more than six years.
"Yep, I'm cancer free," Simcox said. "I have been no evidence of disease for 6.5 years now."
Simcox was diagnosed unexpectedly in 2020 after seeking treatment for what she believed were digestive issues.
"I found out because I was having some esophageal gastro issues, and so I went to the emergency room," she recalled. After a CT scan, a doctor delivered shocking news.
"He specifically said there's a mass in your breast. It needs to be checked out."
The diagnosis came as a complete surprise. Simcox said she had no family history of breast cancer and was only 37 years old at the time, meaning she had not yet started routine mammograms.
Because of her experience, she now encourages women to perform regular self-breast exams.
"I should have been doing self breast exams, and I wasn't doing that," Simcox said. "If I had been doing them, I would have found it on my own. By the time it was found, they said it had been growing for approximately 10 years."
While Simcox was fortunate to have insurance coverage for her treatment, she knows many women do not have that safety net. That's why she supports fundraisers like this one.
"This fundraiser directly goes to support free mammograms for women and for the Unique Boutique, which provides wigs, scarves, and it makes it all free," she said.
Sentara officials say proceeds from the tournament help fund screenings and support programs designed to catch cancer early and assist patients throughout treatment and recovery.
Sentara is also continuing its outreach efforts with a Community Health Day this Saturday at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach. The event will offer a variety of health services, including access to Sentara's mobile mammography van from 8 a.m. to noon.
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