By Isabelle Speed
Over the past few weeks, Abbie Warr (C’19) has been raising money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, which provides free care for its patients, by selling “Sewanee for St. Jude” t-shirts. Warr, who grew up in Memphis, has been a proponent of the hospital for a long time, but says that her personal involvement was heightened when she entered high school: “When I was a freshman in high school, my best friend was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.” After the diagnosis, Warr and her friends wanted to show their support for their ill friend, so they “decided to get together and form a team for the half marathon and fundraise each year to raise money for the hos This year, Warr successfully raised money as a St. Jude “hero” for the half marathon that will take place in Memphis in December. As a hero, she had to raise $500, which was triple the normal amount of the race fee. The money raised from her t-shirt sales went directly to this fund, and Warr exceeded her goal by $20. She says that this half marathon is especially gratifying because “when you run this half marathon, you get to run through the St. Jude campus [in Memphis] and it’s the best thing ever. You see patients out there cheering for you… and thanking you.” She also encourages students to train and participate in the half marathon in Nashville in the spring, which also donates to St. Jude.
If one would like to show interest in the cause outside of the athletic world, Warr says that there will be an event on campus in the spring which will raise money for St. Jude’s via ticket sales. If the half marathon in Memphis next year is appealing, Warr will be creating a training group that will train for the race next December. For other information about how to get involved with St. Jude’s on or off campus, email Abbie Warr at warrak0@sewanee.edu.