Stand Out Student - Lucas Nash
“Quitting is not an admirable character trait. We can’t quit. I want to instill that in young hemophiliac.” - Lucas Nash
What is a champion? Merriam Webster defines a champion as “a winner of first prize or first place in a competition; one who shows marked superiority”. I beg to differ as I look across a small table at the tall, blonde youth with the deep, resonating bass voice, and the boyish good looks. Lucas Nash, a senior at Chapin High School, is not your stereotypical champion; he doesn’t have a stockpile of gold medals to show off, nor will he claim to be superior to anyone. Lucas is a different sort of champion; a champion at handling adversity life has tossed in his path, a path he has had to carefully navigate.
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Lucas in the fall of 2006, when he entered my class as a rosy cheeked, blue eyed, curly headed five year old. He looked and acted like the typical kindergartener – full of energy, cheerful, and ready take on his five year old world. However, there was something that set Lucas apart from the rest of his kindergarten peers, something that set him apart from all of the students in District 5 Schools. Lucas had hemophilia. Shortly after birth, when he didn’t stop bleeding from a routine procedure, Lucas was taken to his pediatrician who immediately knew the diagnosis after seeing all the blood. Further tests were run at the hospital, where the diagnosis of hemophilia, a disorder in which blood does not clot normally, was confirmed.
As a baby, Lucas was taken to the doctor for medication via shots. Eventually, a port was put in so his parents could assist with infusions. However, Lucas began to self- infuse at a relatively early age. He began at nine years old, when most children begin between the ages of ten and twelve. He went to infusion camps where he learned to self-infuse, and eventually decided that he wanted to help the younger children at the camp with the self-infusion process. He attended Camp Burnt Gin, where he helped with infusion clinics for young campers. Lucas now assists with camps, with hopes to be a counselor next summer. He allows the younger children to practice on him – he lets them put the needle in his vein so they can see that it’s not so scary.
Lucas doesn’t keep his hemophilia a secret. In fact, he is very open about it. “I’d rather be open and have people know about it, than something happen and someone not know what to do.” He doesn’t participate in full contact sports, but has thrown discus and shot put. “God gifted Lucas in other areas”, explains mom, Suzanne Nash. Lucas is very involved with CSPN (Chapin Student Sports Network) at Chapin High School, and has been since he was in the eighth grade. Lucas has a passion for multi-media, and is most comfortable behind the lens of a camera. He does most of the camera work for CSPN, and edits the music and lighting. His sophomore year, he was invited into the ESPN trailer for a USC game, where he ran the cameras and worked the boards. ESPN only selects one person a year for this honor.
Lucas also runs the cameras for all three services at his church, which requires him to be up at 6:30 on Sunday mornings. He shoots video for the Hemophilia Chapter of South Carolina, and has done re-cap videos for the Jr. National Championship baseball game for hemophiliacs. He wants to focus on multi-media in college and has applied to Georgia Southern, SCAD, and Clemson. “There are so many opportunities for him in multi-media,” says Suzanne. “Lucas is happy to fly underneath the radar, and his passion is behind that camera.” Lucas focuses on others, not himself.
In October of this year, Lucas was awarded the Teen Impact Award in Leadership for assisting with infusion camps and for helping with the state hemophilia chapter. The Teen Impact Awards are for young people with blood disorders who have influenced and transformed the lives of others living with the same disease. “Lucas is paving his own way,” says his mom. “He’s cutting his own path, and he’s ready for the next adventure or challenge life brings to him. He will give anyone an opportunity, and sometimes he has been taken advantage of, gotten kicked in the teeth, but he always gets back on his feet.”
During the Teen Impact Awards, Lucas was asked the question, “Why is it important to stick with what you started?” His answer was simple, yet honest: “Quitting is not an admirable character trait. We can’t quit. I want to instill that in young hemophiliacs.”
Carrie Underwood’s song, The Champion, represents Lucas and others who never give up:
