When one of McKenzie King’s family friends was diagnosed with breast cancer, she knew she wanted to make an impact on the cancer community for the rest of her life.
“It just seems like the longer you live, the longer you know people that have either had it [cancer] directly or know someone who has had cancer,” said King, whose passion for the fight fuels her participation in Relay for Life.
King, a senior molecular biology major from Omaha, Nebraska, was first impacted by cancer during her sophomore year in high school.
King watched Sydney Vanderspuy, a close family friend, fight cancer. She also saw the effects of cancer first-hand with her pastor and a close friend in the Army.
King’s interest in the cancer community didn’t stop when she came to Lipscomb. During her sophomore year at Lipscomb she volunteered at the Hope Lodge, a home-like environment cancer patients and their caregivers can stay at during treatment.
During her time as a volunteer, she was able to connect with cancer patients by giving tours of Nashville and providing transportation to treatment.
It was also during her sophomore year that she became a part of the Relay for Life committee.
As King has grown closer to the committee over the years, she is especially looking forward to staying up and having fun this year.
“Looking back, I think that the most enjoyable part for me is staying up a little bit later, because as you go on throughout the night we never stop doing anything.”
At this year’s event, there will be Zumba, yoga, lip sync, ping-pong, zorb ball soccer and inflatables to keep the crowds entertained throughout the night.
“Around 3 a.m. is my favorite part of the night to see who really commits to staying there, and everyone’s still smiling but they look a little crazy.”
As the night continues, participants, survivors and caregivers will gather to remember loved ones lost to cancer and to honor those who are still fighting in what’s known as The Luminaria Ceremony. Luminaria bags will illuminate the darkened interior of Allen Arena.
“Besides the actual event, raising that much money, that [The Luminaria Ceremony] is one of the pinnacle things for me, is just like seeing people’s compassion through their participation in the event,” King said. “It’s important to remember where we’ve come from and where we’re going.”
This time of remembrance reminds King of the close-knit community at Lipscomb.
“There is already, like, a sense of community here, because we’re all the same age, we’re all the same background, a lot of us have the same faith, but it’s really such a visual thing to see everyone in the same place, doing the same thing for the same cause.”