Before losing her battle with acute lymphocytic leukemia at age 11, Karen Lawrence asked her family to continue helping sick kids.
Since 1979, the Lawrence family has hosted a fundraising 5k, the Karen Lawrence Run, in her memory. They also volunteer for organizations that help sick children and their families, and have been involved with Ronald McDonald Charities of Greater Chattanooga since the local house opened. In 2014, they made RMHC the sole beneficiary of the 5k.
As the house kicks off its 30th anniversary this year, RMHC is hosting the 5k and rebranding it as the RMHC Run4Kids in Memory of Karen Lawrence. This year’s run also honors Isaac Miller, a 10-year-old who, like Karen, was diagnosed with leukemia.
The Miller family has stayed at the house three times during Isaac’s battle ongoing battle with cancer, with his parents alternating between staying with him at the hospital and with his siblings at the house.
In November 2019, the family learned Isaac’s cancer has returned.