One year ago, Ethan Kenney lost his mother to an aggressive form of Lupus, but now, Ethan believes he found the perfect way to honor her short existence.
In memory of her life and to bring awareness to this often disregarded disease, Ethan plans to 52 miles straight in hopes of glorifying his mother, His heavenly Father, and contributing all his earnings to support the Lupus Foundation of America.
“Anyone can accomplish amazing feats and help in a worthy cause, I felt like I had a purpose to help…why not start now,” Ethan states.
On November 22nd, when Ethan and his brothers of Sigma Nu hold their annual philanthropy, the Gameball Run, which supports Multiple Sclerosis, Ethan will run 52 miles in support of the South Carolina Chapter for the Lupus Foundation of America. This idea came to him during last year’s Gameball Run. “It was only a few weeks after my mother’s death, I said a prayer and asked God to help me bring glory to Him and my mother through the run. And now this year I have been able to train for the whole race.”
In preparation for the race, Ethan typically goes to Centennial Park for 1 long run a week, but you can still find him at the Strom multiple times a week running shorter distances or weight training.
According to the LFA, Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which affects various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lung, blood, kidneys and brain. In an autoimmune disorder like Lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues.
Typically, Lupus us a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, like Ethan’s mom Leslie, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. Studies suggest that more than 16,000 Americans develop Lupus each year.
Kenney went on to describe his mother’s condition. “My mother had systemic Lupus which attacked much of her body but primarily her liver and kidneys. I think the number of people diagnosed with Lupus is going to spike up in the next few years...I just want to help people become more aware of this disease.”
90% of people with Lupus have been found to be women, and symptoms typically occur between the ages of 15 and 45. The cause of Lupus is still unknown but may be connected to hereditary, environmental, or hormonal factors.
“A lot of people can still live active lives,” Kenney adds. “My mother worked about five to seven hours a day, but some days she never got out of bed afterward. She worked just enough to pay for her insurance.”
According to Ethan’s brothers in the fraternity, he has been an inspiration to many of them. Being an active member in his fraternity, a pre-medical student, and taking care of his family all at once commands respect. “It had to have been really hard for him here at USC and at home. Going through college as a pre-med student while taking care of his mother is not easy,” states Tray Janney, a second year Sigma Nu.
Ethan’s experiences solidified his mission in life to become a doctor. “Even though I was forced to grow up fast and missed a lot of the college experience, I am thankful to have my head on straight and be where I am today.”
Ethan contributes much of his happiness to the great group of friends who have supported him through difficult times. He advises people in similar situations to have a strong support group, keep occupied, and pursue what matters most to them.
Before November 22nd, Ethan’s goal is to generate awareness and gain support towards raising money for the South Carolina chapter for Lupus, as well as continuing to support his fraternal philanthropy. “The more involvement, the stronger I will feel about the race. I am really thankful for some of my friends in Kappa Kappa Gamma who have already asked if they could bike with me throughout the race.”
Ethan Kenney’s determination and selflessness reminds us that anyone can accomplish the impossible if they truly set their minds and hearts to it.
If anyone would like more information about Lupus, visit the LFA’s website at http://www.lupus.org/newsite/index.html. Or talk to someone from the South Carolina Chapter by calling: 864-269-2887, or 877-895-8787.
To contact Ethan Kenney, sponsor him, or make a donation call: 727-4196 or e-mail him at flcncc1719@aol.com.
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