Born and raised in Mt. Juliet, TN, Libby O’Guin is a wife, mother, and encourager who has always called Middle Tennessee home. She attended Cumberland University in Lebanon and has served there as Director of Student Life for 25 years. Libby truly pours her heart into her family and the students she comes into contact with through her job, never missing an opportunity to encourage others and stay active in her community. Even when her world shifted with a cancer diagnosis at age 47, Libby’s compassion never wavered. She has spent years quietly loving and supporting others. Now, it’s her turn to be honored. This year, the 22^nd annual Sherry’s Run 5K Run/Walk will be held in honor of Libby O’Guin.

Libby’s cancer journey began in 2022 when she found concerning lumps in her breast. As she began to prayerfully seek next steps, it wasn’t long until she was told that she had a 9-centimeter tumor on her right breast. “I had never missed a mammogram, but because of dense breast tissue, the only scan that showed my tumor was an MRI.” When Libby and her husband received the news of the cancer diagnosis, Libby’s first thought wasn’t for herself, but for her children. With tears in her eyes, she shared, “The very first thing I pictured when the doctor told me I had cancer was Abby and Griffin. I wasn’t scared for me, but for them not to have a mother.” After taking it all in for about a week, Libby knew it was time to fight. She shared, “Once I processed it, I never looked back. I turned it over to God.”

Just one month after the diagnosis, Libby started chemotherapy treatments. Even in the midst of the fight, she managed to stay active at work and at her church, loving others the way she always had. “My support network was huge. I had hundreds of people praying for me,” she recalled. Libby approached even the hardest moments with grace and creativity. “I let the kids and my husband shave my hair in the kitchen, and we just made the most of it,” she said with a smile. “I named my wig Brenda, and she just became a part of the family!” Though she kept a positive attitude, Libby was honest about the fear that came with the journey. “Every time I would get fearful, God would send a direct message to me,” she reflected. “One time, a football coach I didn’t even know came to me and said, ‘This is going to sound crazy, but God sent me.’ I told him, ‘It’s not crazy to me.’ That happened several times. God was just helping me in my moments of fear.”

As Libby thought of many scenarios that reminded her of God’s faithfulness, she recalled the overwhelming support her family received from the community. “Everyone was phenomenal, each thing happened at just the right time,” Libby shared. A committee made up of CU staff, students, and community members led the charge for a special campaign along with community sponsors to support Libby, selling pink #LoveLikeLibby shirts, which later made an appearance at Sherry’s Run 5K Run/Walk to benefit Sherry’s Hope in 2022. Libby’s sister put together a huge team of loved ones to rally for her. Her husband Justin’s workplace, Advanced Propane, even turned one of their company trucks pink and added the Sherry’s Hope logo, a bold show of support which he drove during her treatment.

It wasn’t long after the 5K excitement that Libby learned about Sherry’s Hope’s mission to assist local families fighting cancer. So, she reached out. “Sherry’s Hope helped with the lingering medical bills we had toward the end of my treatments,” she said. “That was a huge help, and I am so thankful for the work they do for others in the community who don’t have the kind of support I’ve had.” Libby is doing well now and praying for no return of active cancer. “The term ‘remission’ is not used for me,” Libby explained, “But I am maintaining and doing well. It’s still day by day, but I am thankful to finally feel like a person again.”

Libby shared, “I feel more comfortable loving on others than receiving it, and God showed me how to accept help through all of this.” She continued, “My motto is, ‘Show God’s love, show God’s light.” And there’s no doubt, Libby lives that out. During her hardest season, the very people she had impacted over the years surrounded her with the same love and light she had so unconditionally given to them. Libby now makes it a priority to connect with newly diagnosed cancer patients as they begin their own journeys. “I think this is just the beginning of God using my story to help others,” she explained. “I want people to know- yes, it’s not fun. Yes, it’s hard. But you can do it. Give it to God. Show love and light through the difficult times.”

Rooted in faith and lifted by love, Libby’s story reminds us that even in the darkest seasons, light can still shine through. This year on September 13th, the community will rally together for the 22^nd annual Sherry’s Run 5K Run/Walk to benefit Sherry’s Hope, held in honor of Libby O’Guin. To register for Sherry’s Run, visit www.sherrysrun.org. We hope that you will join us as we rally together to make a difference in the lives of families who are battling cancer in our community!

Sherry’s Hope is a Christian, non-profit organization that works throughout the year to provide hope to families battling cancer in Wilson County and surrounding communities by offering emotional encouragement and financial assistance. In addition, Sherry’s Hope works to spread colon health awareness by distributing free colon cancer screening tests and providing colonoscopy assistance.

To learn more about the Sherry’s Run 5K event, click here, call 615-925- 2592, or email info@sherryshope.org. To learn more about Sherry’s Hope programs and services, click here or call 615-925-9932, or email help@sherryshope.org. To donate to Sherry’s Hope, click here, or mail donations to Sherry’s Hope, P.O. Box 8, Lebanon, TN 37088-0008.