Meet 34-year old Jess Lacasse from Barre, VT. Jess is signed up for another 26.2 with KBVCM this May. Go Jess…

Here is my story!  I started running in 2004 for a couple of reasons.  One to lose some weight and I was a single mother of 2 toddlers, and it was my only “me” time.  I ran a few 5ks here and there, then in 2008 I was asked if i wanted to be part of a relay team for the Vermont City marathon in 2008, and of course I said yes.  While training for my leg of the race in the spring of 2008, I noticed some pain in my knee, fearing it would be something that would knock me out of the relay, I chose not to go to the doctor until after the Vermont City marathon was over.  During a doctors visit in June of 2008 they found a begnin tumor growing inside my left femur, it was agressive and eating my femur away from the inside out.  I had two options, I could do nothing with the chance of losing my leg, or have surgery. So in August of 2008 I headed to Mass General in Boston for treatment.  After a week in the hospital, the tumor was removed and I now had a plate and pins holding my femur back together.  For 3 months following surgery, I struggled to walk, and feared I would never run again. For a year and half I struggled to get back into running.  While sitting in the waiting room at the Cancer Center at Mass General waiting for my follow up appointment with my doctor, I looked around at the other people there and realized how lucky I was to still have my leg and have my health.  With clearance from my doctor I signed up for my 1st full marathon, the 2011 Vermont City marathon, and I decided to run for the American Cancer Society as well.  I finished that marathon just under the 6 hour mark, it was slow but all I wanted to do was finish.    I had a second surgery in January 2012 to remove the plate and pins as they were causing discomfort.  Two months after that surgery I was back to running. 

So you ask why I run?  I run to celebrate my health and my life.  I run because I can.

Tagged as: 26.2, American Cancer Society - DetermiNation, cancer, KBVCM, KeyBank Vermont City Marathon, running