Kidd named ambassador for Queen City Race for Life
When Jackie Kidd got the call from her doctor earlier this year, she knew her life was about to change.
Kidd, 60, of Pachuta, had gone in for her routine mammogram in March. What followed was a whirlwind of tests, surgery, and recovery. Now, just months later, she is serving as an ambassador for Meridian Community College’s Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut.
The annual event, hosted by MCC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, will take place Saturday, Oct. 18, beginning at 8 a.m. on the MCC track. The walk and run honors breast cancer survivors, raises awareness about the disease, and supports the Baptist Anderson Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund.
For Kidd, being chosen as an ambassador is personal. “I believe in mammograms,” she said. “If you don’t do anything else, you have a pelvic exam and a mammogram every year — without fail.”
Her mammogram caught the cancer at an early stage, and in May she had a mastectomy. She said she went through the surgery without complications and is grateful for the support of her husband of 37 years, her family, church community, and medical team.
“I don’t know why God chose me to walk this journey, but I’m not going to question it,” Kidd said. “I hope He uses me to encourage other women and be a comfort to them as they go through this.”
Kidd’s faith and family have been central to her recovery. A graduate of MCC with a degree in office management, she is also a mother and grandmother of three — Emma, 11, Kyzer, 8, and Lilly, 1. Before her diagnosis, she stayed home to help care for them.
She said she is surprised by how many women she meets who admit they have skipped mammograms for years. “I tell them, ‘You make an appointment today,’” Kidd said. “If I had not had mine when I did, it may have been much worse. Early detection is key.”
Kidd has been a participant in the Queen City Race since it began in 2009. This year, she hopes her story will inspire others to take charge of their health — and to come out and support the event.
“My prayer is that people see Jesus in me and that they are encouraged to be proactive with their health,” Kidd said. “Family is pretty important, and I want to be around for mine.”
For more information, visit meridiancc.edu/streetstrut.