By Nina Armstrong, Bryson Chandler, Ava Walker

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — “No one faces cancer alone!”

Lara Bodary, a staff member at Middle Tennessee State University, cancer survivor, and past attendee of Relay for Life of MTSU event, passionately emphasizes the essence of community and support that Relay for Life fosters.

Having experienced both the loss of family members to cancer and her own journey as a survivor, Bodary says the embrace of the Relay community is near and dear to her heart.

In partnership with the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life is a nonprofit dedicated to funding and supporting cancer treatment and prevention research, providing support for caregivers and loved ones of cancer patients, and educating the public about cancer prevention measures. Together, the organizations unite survivors, supporters and caregivers in facing cancer.

This year, Relay for Life of MTSU will hold its event from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 22, at the Health, Wellness and Recreation Center, better known at the Rec, 1848 Blue Raider Drive. Registration is $5, payable at the door or online. A searchable campus parking map is available at https://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

The family-friendly event invites attendees to participate in student-led activities and a relay to raise money for the American Cancer Society by celebrating survivors and supporting their cancer journey while remembering those who lost their battle with the disease.

The call to action is for all members of the community to participate, whether you know someone with cancer, someone who had cancer, including yourself, or have no personal experience with cancer at all. Relay for Life is for everyone, organizers emphasize.

Having been honored at last year’s Relay for Life of MTSU, Bodary says having that memory and community is really special.

Bodary recalls that her favorite part of past Relay events was just talking to people as they came into the event.

“It’s a great way of building community, like doing something outside of yourself that really doesn’t take up a huge amount of time on your part or effort and is set up very conveniently for students and faculty,” says Bodary, an administrative assistant in the University Studies Department.

Relay for Life of MTSU allows participants to honor survivors in many ways, including taking a lap around the luminaria bags after decorating them as a special way of honoring the lives that have fought or are currently fighting cancer.

In addition, Bodary says that for her and possibly other survivors, “it helps reinforce healthy patterns that your life is going on,” almost like a full circle moment from the diagnosis of cancer to remission, which is a moment of significance as survivors move forward in their lives.

If you would like to dedicate a luminaria bag, you can do so online at www.relayforlife.org/mtsu.

Dianna Rust, a cancer survivor and faculty advisor, rallies both campus and community to action, inviting others to attend the annual event and enjoy an array of family-friendly activities and games, all in support of those bravely fighting cancer, their families, and caregivers.

To those who might have experienced cancer or are currently battling, Bodary says, “You are not your disease,” and for those who are eager to make a difference, “You can give back to those communities!”

For more information, contact Rust at Dianna.Rust@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5325.

— (news@mtsu.edu)