Sports are a way to bring together family and friends, a way to keep kids occupied and out of trouble and to learn hard work, teamwork and determination.

But there’s one sport coming to the Miss-Lou this weekend that has an even bigger purpose — saving lives.

The Miss-Lou Relay for Life kicks off Friday, and this could be the most important walk you take all year.

The money raised by the teams and individuals that walk Friday night will go to help find a cure for cancer, support those fighting the disease with medicine and education and support programs and to lobby the national government to appropriate more money for a cure.

The event also celebrates the lives of those who lost the battle against this deadly disease and gives those still fighting the will to continue.

That’s a little bit bigger deal than buying a $4 burger at the local baseball game.

Now, I’ve never actually been to a Relay for Life event.

I’m from Houston, Texas, a huge city that lacks a lot of the community spirit that Natchez and Vidalia have.

So I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Miss-Lou is so excited about. From what I’ve been told, our event is one of the biggest and best in the South, and people from all over come to get ideas from what the Miss-Lou is doing.

While you may take that for granted after doing this for so many years, I’m very impressed and very excited to see what the Miss-Lou can do.

My family and friends have been touched by cancer, just as most of the community has been.

I lost a great aunt to brain cancer and someone I considered my second mom to pancreatic cancer. That woman was given six months to live and made it two strong years, taking vacations she never got to take and spending overdue time with her family and friends.

This disease affects one in three people in their lifetime and touches even more when you consider victims’ loved ones. It’s something no one is immune to, no matter how smart or careful or healthy you are.

But it is something that, with dedication and continued research, can be cured. We live in the greatest nation in the world, and we have the ability to fight and prevent this disease.

So I’m calling out the community to show me what it’s all about.

Raise money for yourself and your team, dedicate a luminaria and show up to support the relay this weekend.

Let’s see how big a check we can present to the American Cancer Society — and how many lives we can save.

Krysten Oliphant is a sports reporter at The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at sports@natchezdemocrat.com.