Running with Leukemia – Phillip Fields 

In February 2009, Philip Fields set a goal to complete a marathon in every state and DC by the end of December 2012. That would be 51 marathons in 47 months. Along the way, he hoped to qualify again for the Boston Marathon.

In 2008, he was diagnosed with leukemia and given a five-to-seven-year life expectancy, but continued to run regardless.

Dr. Fields would use leukemia to his advantage as it attempted to hasten the sand escaping from his hourglass of life. Leukemia would be his excuse to travel. He would visit all those places in the US that had long been on his list to see. He stopped racing the clock and began racing leukemia to the finish line of his goal. He felt like he was now racing against the angel of death.

“My latest marathon was in Lake Mead, NV (1/11/20).  I have exceeded the average years for remission post-chemotherapy.  Except for a low red blood cell count and hemoglobin since chemotherapy (2011), a defibrillator for ventricular tachycardia (2016), and now atrial fibrillation, things are good.” 

After achieving his goal, Philip kept on running.
Since 2009, he has completed over 125 marathons with leukemia. 

“As a cancer survivor, I cannot think of a more satisfying and selfless reason to run than to run for others with cancer,” Dr. Fields said.

He tells others to challenge their limits instead of limiting their challenges; and to stop procrastinating on things that aren’t important. “Someone once said, ‘We spend so much time making a living that we forget to live,’” Dr. Fields said. “I deleted the word procrastinate from my vocabulary.”
“Hopefully I will inspire others with cancer to not give up, to continue dreaming, and to live each day as if it is the last.”

“People have a choice of two ways to live their lives. They can live as if there are no miracles. Or they can live as if every day is a miracle”- Albert Einstein.