ROCK ISLAND, Ill. & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--eRace Cancer, a social media campaign to educate patients about advances and innovations in cancer treatments, said that Don Wright, now 78 years old, will be running in the Iowa Senior Games on Saturday, February 23, in Rock Island, Ill. Don, who has the blood cancer multiple myeloma, has run 100 marathons since his diagnosis in 2003, and is preparing to compete at the 2019 National Senior Games, held every two years. This year’s competition will be in June in Albuquerque, NM. Don qualified for the National Games in four events last year, the 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 meter runs, despite dealing with knee and hamstring issues.
In 2019, Don plans to step up his training and improve his event times, while competing in various State Senior Games and USA Track and Field events throughout the winter and spring. Don is able to focus on his training and competitions because newer cancer treatments, that weren’t around when he was diagnosed, manage his cancer and even leave him feeling well enough to run.
Says Don, “When I was diagnosed, I looked it up, and the life expectancy for myeloma was 2-5 years. Now, 16 years later, I’m running track in the National Senior Games and can even dream about winning a medal. How’s that for progress?”
Aside from a chance to “stick cancer in the eye” each time he starts a race, running is also a joyous family affair for Don, who trains and travels to meets with his wife of over 55 years, Ardis, and their adult daughter, Sarah. In fact, Ardis also qualified for the National Senior Games, and will be competing in Albuquerque in the 100, 200 and 400 meter events. For Ardis, whose father was diagnosed with cancer around the same age Don was, and lived only five more years, running together is a testament to medical progress.
Read more about Don’s story on www.eRaceCancer.run, and follow him on social media at www.facebook.com/eRaceCancer, and @eRaceCancer on Twitter.
