Relay for Life, the world’s largest and most impactful cancer fundraising event, is less than two weeks away.
But for one student, the event is more than just a fundraiser.
“My freshman year of college I got a phone call from my mom that my grandma was in the hospital,” third-year women's and gender studies and international studies student Grace Gardner said. “They were taking samples to see if it was cancer, and she was diagnosed in the spring with ovarian cancer.”
Gardner decided to join Relay last year to support her family. This year, she is on the Spirit Committee as the Spirit Co-Chair.
“The main reason I relay is for my grandma," Gardner said. "I also relay for other girls who are scared because of their genes, because you can have a predisposition due to genetics.”
Genetic susceptibility to cancer, also known as genetic predisposition, is a greater likelihood of developing cancer due to your genetic makeup.
“This past fall my mom had a scare with cancer,” Gardner said. “She had a biopsy for uterine cancer because she’s a first-degree relative. Hearing that phone call again is terrifying because once it gets passed down it becomes my concern too.”
Gardner’s mom ended up not being diagnosed with cancer. Her grandmother is also on the road to recovery.
“She’s actually doing really well,” Gardner said. “She went through chemo and kicked cancer’s butt. But she got neuropathy and can’t drive any more.”
Neuropathy, which affects one to two percent of all Americans, causes tingling and numbness in the hands and feet. It is difficult to cure and treat.
Growing up, Gardner’s grandmother was a big part of her life.
Gardner said that her grandmother — who only lived 15 minutes away from her in Ohio — was like another parent to her growing up because both of her parents worked.
Although Gardner’s grandmother’s brush with cancer has passed, she has not forgotten the experience.
“My grandma is definitely my hero, and my mom’s strength has inspired me too,” she said. “Cancer doesn’t just affect the patient.”
After graduating in December 2015, Gardner plans to join the Peace Corps. However, she is not planning on ending her fight against cancer.
“I definitely see Relay for Life as a part of my future," she said. "It’s so inspiring to me because cancer is now such a big part of my life, and I want to be there when the battle is finished.”
Relay for Life will be on Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at Blatt Field.