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Back in 2003, when Don Wright was 62 years old, he had just completed his first marathon when he began to experience some back and body pains. Given the timing of these pains, he assumed they’d developed as a result of his intense marathon, but went to get them checked out anyway.
Wright couldn’t have been more wrong about his self-diagnosis.
His doctors diagnosed him with an incredibly rare blood cancer: multiple myeloma. He had less than five years to live.
Multiple myeloma begins in the plasma cells of the blood and is impossible to cure. The best treatment doctors can offer is medication to keep the disease in control.
Because there is little else Wright can do for himself, he’s decided to spend the rest of his time doing what he can for others with myeloma: run marathons to raise awareness of the disease.
When he ran his first marathon, he never expected that he would soon be running his second – let alone his 100th marathon – ever.
But just recently, Wright completed his 100th marathon in Philadelphia with his family running by his side. He’s run marathons in all 50 states – and then some – and has no intention of stopping soon.
"I love to run, especially when my wife and daughter participate in the races," Wright explained. "But my other motivation is to get the word out. Some innovative medications have come along since I've been diagnosed — I actually started a new treatment a year ago."
He is extremely grateful to everyone and everything that has supported him thus far, “I have lived to meet my grandchild and without medication that wouldn't have happened. I feel lucky.”
We hope that Wright still had many more years – and marathons – to come.
You can watch a news clip of him here:
