Caring Comes Naturally to Lori Hopkins

While running a half-marathon for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at Walt Disney World in January, Lori Hopkins saw what runners often call "the wall."

"I was wondering, 'Why am I doing this?'" Hopkins said.

She looked around and saw the answer in the photos other runners had on them as they ran. They were photos of loved ones who had either beaten cancer, or had died from it.

"That's when I knew as long as I could do this, I'd continue," Hopkins said.

Hopkins, who lives in Avon, is one of the nominees for the Northern Ohio chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Woman of the Year.

Helping others has long been a part of Hopkins' life. After becoming a single mother of two children, Hopkins went to school to study nursing, getting her associates degree at Lorain County Community College and then her bachelors degree at Indiana Wesleyan University.

She worked in nursing for five years at MetroHealth, then returned to LCCC to teach nursing.

"Teaching is so rewarding," Hopkins said. "I want to teach (the students) to love nursing like I love it, and to love making a difference in patients' lives. I love seeing young people passionate about what they do."

Even with the rewards of her career, her happy marriage to husband David, and her children, 15-year-son Jordan and 17-year-old daughter Kelsey, Hopkins was looking for another way to make a difference in the world.

About a year and a half ago, she found it. Friend Robert Fedor was involved in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and was one of the Man of the Year nominees, so she and David joined a committee.

"I heard the stories and was so moved," she said. "I knew I had to do something. When you see these families, even in the middle of dealing with cancer, living with joy and hope, you can't help but want to give back."

She also has seen her brother-in-law, Michael Hopkins, battle leukemia. Learning that leukemia is the top killer of children hit home as she thought about the families she'd met through her nursing career and volunteering.

From joining a committee, Hopkins got more involved, and even ran the half-marathon.

"That's something I never thought I'd do!" she said.

And she intends to keep on doing whatever it takes.

"If we stop working, if we stop raising money, we wont find a cure," she said. "We have to keep going."