Cancer survivor and her nurse, connected through running, primed for Maryland Half Marathon
BALTIMORE - A cancer survivor and her nurse, bonded over perseverance, determination and running, are ready to run in this weekend's Maryland Half Marathon and 5K.
Runners and walkers from across the area will be in the Maple Lawn community in Howard County running to support the fight against cancer.
The Maryland Half Marathon and 5K benefit The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dana Deighton and her nurse Tiffani Tyler were brought together after a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis and connected through running.
"Stage 4 is like the worst thing you could possibly hear," Deighton said.
Deighton was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer in 2013. She was determined to beat cancer.
At the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, her medical team came up with a personalized and hopeful treatment plan.
"You might have a wonderful family and friends, but you need the medical professionals and you need somebody that believes in what you want as much as you do," Deighton said.
Tyler told WJZ that running connected them. She was training to run in the Maryland Half Marathon.
"It inspired her and she told me I'm going to run this race with you one day," Tyler said.
Deighton had an esophageal resection, one of the biggest surgeries they do at the cancer center.
The cancerous section of her esophagus was removed before surgeons recreated her swallowing tube.
Shortly after the major surgery, Deighton mind shifted to running.
"During her recovery here in the hospital, I went to visit her and she said I'm going to run the race with you next year," Tyler said.
In 2015, Deighton and Tyler ran together in the Maryland Half Marathon for the first time.
Over the years. they have continued to run together and they have become friends.
And in 2017, Deighton found out she was officially cancer free.
"It was a race, it was a marathon, it was a really tough situation for me, but I couldn't leave my kids without a mom," Deighton said.
"She wanted a shot at cure, despite what she had been told, and she went after it," Tyler said.
