Warren High School senior Sophie Boothby will be the grand marshal for Saturday’s Relay for Life of Washington County. She was named junior grand marshal in 2024. (Photo provided)

BELPRE – Sophie Boothby’s been participating in the Relay for Life of Washington County since she was 5 years old.

It’s only been in recent years that the Warren High School senior has done so as a cancer survivor herself.

“It’s definitely a very different perspective, for sure,” said Boothby, who was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor and underwent surgery and radiation treatment in 2024. “I see how much good this organization does.”

Boothby served as the junior grand marshal at the 2024 Relay and said she wasn’t expecting to be chosen to lead the survivors’ lap this year.

“I’m definitely so excited,” she said.

Sophie Boothby is shown at a Relay for Life of Washington event when she was 5 years old. (Photo provided)

Boothby said it’s special to have a space to discuss experiences with cancer diagnosis and treatment with other survivors.

After her diagnosis, Boothby was told she would not be able to be as active as she had been. That put her future as a member of Marietta Dance Academy in doubt.

“It was definitely very hard at first to get back into dancing,” she said. “But now I’m all back in.”

Boothby has remained involved in a variety of activities, including serving as a member of Student Council throughout high school. She received the Warren Athletic WOW Award her sophomore year and a “Heart of Service” award for her work coordinating blood drives in the community. Boothby is a varsity cheerleader, was voted Homecoming queen, is in the handbell choir and was in the Ohio All-State Choir her sophomore and junior years.

A member of the National Honor Society at Warren, Boothby helped organize a Relay team for the group. She hopes to see it become an annual tradition.

“(Relay is) such a fun event for everybody,” she said.

Her mother, Christy, said Boothby’s strength is her greatest achievement and she is an inspiration to everyone around her.

Graduating from Warren this month, Boothby will be attending Ohio University, where she plans to major in mathematics education.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.