Honoring her uncle, Hollings nurse manager rides in LOWVELO to advance cancer research and bring hope to patients
Kristen Indahl | October 9, 2026
If they’re lucky, most people have that one distinctive family member who makes life fun and memorable. For Kodee Brown, R.N., that person was Uncle Levi.
Maybe it was the fact that he ate ice cream every night and often prepared a delicious homemade version to share. It could have been the childhood trips to see the fireworks at a local baseball game or the animal safari in Spartanburg. Or perhaps it stemmed from the amusing stories that the family still tells at every gathering.
Levi Perrin, a youth minister and career mechanical operator, also made a lasting impression through his character, his faith and his commitment to steering his family in the right direction – always. Brown and her cousins looked to him for answers and learned valuable lessons from the wisdom he graciously shared.
“He was just full of life,” Brown said. “He was dedicated. He was courageous. He was extremely brave. And I just really admire him and was happy to have him as another father figure in my life.”
Perrin’s strength of character became even more evident in 2012. After several months of unusual symptoms such as extreme headaches, confusion and balance issues, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer. With limited surgical options based on the position of the tumor, he underwent radiation and oral chemotherapy. He faced a terminal prognosis, yet his primary focus was on Lisa, his wife of 21 years, and his three children.
Brown, a junior in nursing school at the time, distinctly remembers hearing about his initial reaction and marveling at his courage.
“My aunt said that he immediately told her, ‘You will be fine. I will get you through this. I’m OK. I just need you to be OK,’” Brown recalled. “I feel like his strength has always guided me in the way that he faced that – like I can do anything.”
Within two months of his diagnosis, he passed away at age 51. Yet today, his legacy lives on, including through Brown’s work as a nurse.
A calling in cancer care
After earning her nursing degree, Brown pursued roles in emergency nursing and nursing administration. Her career path then led her to MUSC Hollings Cancer Center at North Charleston, where she is currently ambulatory services manager. In overseeing daily operations, she leads the GI team, the palliative care team, the multiple myeloma team and the sarcoma team while facilitating quality improvement initiatives.
From this vantage point, she has gained a clear view of the importance of cancer research, especially through the lens of her uncle’s journey. Her relationship with him has also shaped her approach to enhancing the patient experience.
“I definitely think about what he went through and what our families went through; it helps me ensure that our care is holistic and includes the family as well,” Brown said. “I also think about how different services such as palliative care can really impact families, help symptoms, and increase quality of life.”
As she holds her uncle’s memory close, Brown understands the significance of building supportive relationships with patients. She recognizes that they don’t want to come in and feel like it’s just another appointment.
“They want to know that somebody is on their side,” she said. “They want to know that somebody is listening to them, and they’re happy to see us when they get here. You know, we have fun here. We laugh here. And it truly is a place of life and light when patients come here.”
Cycling in Levi Perrin's honor
Since Brown joined Hollings, she’s been extremely passionate about advocating for patients with cancer and supporting cancer research. She also loves to cycle – making LOWVELO a perfect match for her interests and her ability to honor her uncle.
“The mission behind LOWVELO and cancer research really drove me to say, ‘I’ve got to do this,’” Brown said. “I love to cycle. We’re raising money. I can rally people up and tell my uncle’s story and potentially help somebody and honor him. It all made me incredibly excited.”
With her uncle in mind, Brown noted that research is particularly important for bringing hope to people with glioblastoma.
“I think LOWVELO was the right way to honor him, because 100% of the proceeds go to cancer research. It’s perfect to raise awareness, to get out and do something that you love and have fun. And that’s what he wanted to do. I can’t think of a better way to raise awareness and rally people behind cancer research, because I know it truly makes a difference.”
In 2025, Brown completed her first LOWVELO ride: the 14-mile Island Ride. She was swept up in the excitement of that beautiful day, knowing that her Uncle Levi must be looking down on her with great pride.
At the finish line, her twin girls – now age 4 – cheered her on. Brown tells them stories about their uncle and explains that she rides to raise money for people like him and their families, so that they may have more time with their loved ones.
“They saw me doing something that I was passionate about and that helps other people,” Brown said. “It just felt amazing.”
She keeps her LOWVELO bib at her desk as a constant reminder of its meaning. It not only reinforces her purpose in helping patients like Uncle Levi, but it also keeps his memory alive and helps her to associate something positive with an experience that was so difficult to go through.
“I think he would be honored that I’m doing this for him,” she said. “He always wanted to encourage other people. He always wanted to strengthen other people. So, I think knowing that his story was out there, that it could help somebody – he would be extremely proud of that.”
A true impact
For Brown, participating in LOWVELO, working in oncology and reflecting on her uncle’s journey are factors that not only changed the way she thinks about cancer, but they also shaped her into the nurse she is and will be in the future.
In fact, she can’t picture herself doing anything else. That calling shines through in her daily interactions with patients.
“They will never be without support,” she said. “They will have what they need, and they can trust us to have their best interests at heart. I want them to know that it will be OK, which sounds like it can just simplify everything that they’re going through. But they’ll have the support that they need to get through such a difficult time.”
As Brown gears up for LOWVELO26, she looks forward to having the support of her family at the event. Her aunt often remarks how much Brown’s husband, Justin, reminds her of her husband. And Brown knows that her uncle would be proud that she married someone who, like him, always tries to steer his family in the right direction.
It’s another way that Brown knows she has a little bit of her Uncle Levi by her side, and that supportive presence helps anchor her purpose on the bike.
“I ride because cancer research improves lives, lengthens lives and saves lives.”
