Patients Rising says 75-Year-Old Runner Enters His 92nd Marathon with Cancer
Don Wright Registered for Memorial Hermann USA Fit Marathon,
January 31st, in Sugar Land
(Houston area), TX
WASHINGTON & HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Patients Rising, a non-profit patient advocacy organization,
today said Don Wright is closing in on his goal of running 100 marathons
with cancer while on treatment. Don will run his 92nd
marathon in Sugar Land, Texas, beginning and ending on the campus of the
University of Houston on January 31st. (www.usafitmarathon.com)
Don ran his first marathon on June 21, 2003. A few days later, July 2,
his doctor confirmed he had multiple myeloma, a cancer of cells in the
bone marrow. At the time his life expectancy was only three to five
years, but thanks to new treatments, Don was able to continue running.
In December, 2012, he became part of an elite group of runners who have
completed at least one marathon in all 50 states. This month when Don
runs his 92nd marathon with cancer, he’ll also celebrate his
75th birthday.
“I am pleased to help raise awareness of myeloma and related blood
cancers, and to show that modern cancer treatments are not your
grandfather’s chemotherapy,” said Don Wright. “Who would have thought it
possible to treat cancer with just a pill? Medical advances mean even
with cancer I can travel across country, and I feel well enough to race.”
For seven years Don was on an innovative oral medication for cancer. But
multiple myeloma cannot be cured, his remission ended and now Don counts
on newer regimens to keep his cancer on the run.
“Don and countless patients like him depend on research, investment and
development to provide newer treatments so they don’t exhaust their
options,” said Jonathan Wilcox, policy director and co-founder of
Patients Rising. “That’s why here at Patients Rising we are fighting for
continued medical innovation, and patient access to the treatments they
need. Don shows us how far modern treatments have taken us, with a
reminder that we still have a long way to go.”
Don also credits the support of his family. His wife, Ardis, and their
adult daughter, Sarah, travel with Don and often run half marathons with
him.
“When Don was diagnosed, he was told he’d have three to five years to
live, but medical advances changed that,” said Ardis Wright. “Like Don,
my father was diagnosed with a blood cancer in his 60’s and my parents
lost their golden years together. But this spring, Don and I will
celebrate 53 years of married life together. You could say we both
benefit from his treatments. In fact, our whole family does.”
“I’m not running from cancer, I’m running against it, crossing each
finish line ahead of cancer,” said Don who would like to complete all
100 marathons sometime toward the end of the year, and after that?
“I’ll go for 101.”
Don’s progress can be followed on Facebook and Twitter under the banner
eRace Cancer.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
E-Race Cancer: www.facebook.com/eRaceCancer
and http://twitter.com/eRaceCancer
Patients Rising: www.patientsrising.org
Contacts
MEDIA:
For Patients Rising
Deanne Eagle 917-837-5866
deanne.eagle@initiatePR.com
