In collaboration with Relay for Life, the Doane Owl will be doing a monthly spotlight on students and staff at Doane who have been affected by cancer and the impact cancer has had on their lives, on their friends and families and how they plan to honor the legacy of those affected by cancer.
For Sophomore Camdyn Carpenter, the fight against cancer is incredibly personal to her. While Carpenter’s classmates were enjoying their senior years of high school, her aunt lost her nine-year battle with colon cancer. Shortly after her passing, she lost her other aunt to breast cancer. Carpenter and her family had suddenly lost two pillars of their lives and were left in shock.
“Losing my aunts was losing my person. I talked to them every day. They always knew the right words to say.” The passing of her aunts not only affected her immediate family, but it left her cousins without a mother,” Carpenter said in an interview with sophomore and Relay for Life member Chloe Rose. “I was grieving, but had to help other people grieve and heal. Their passing completely shook up normality in our everyday lives.”
For Carpenter, this galvanized her into action and she joined Relay for Life after she graduated from high school and came to Doane. To her, it’s an opportunity to help fight cancer in honor of her aunts and help give community and support to those who need it.
“I chose to be a part of Relay for Life because I knew it would be a way to help others go through something I had gone through. I felt like I was a part of a community that understood me and related to my experiences. I felt less alone,” Carpenter said.
In Relay for Life’s continued efforts to fight cancer, they held a fundraising campaign during homecoming to raise $1883. They received more than $2000 and exceeded their fundraising goal. If you or someone you know wishes to donate to Relay for Life, you can do so by following directions on the accompanying graphic.
https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=109757 – website for relay for life
