In honor of Karla Werner
Karla Werner loves to run so much that no greenway in the Triangle region can contain her. She’s a marathoner. But in January of 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. At UNC she met Dr. Lisa Carey who told Karla that she was conducting a promising new clinical trial.
Karla responded, “Will I be able to run the Boston Marathon during my treatment?”
Dr. Carey told Karla not to give up running just because she had cancer, but running the Boston Marathon depended upon how she responded to chemotherapy. Karla withstood the treatment very well due in part to her high level of fitness. She had run 131 miles in January and 73 in February before slowing down in March due to her treatment. With Dr. Carey’s blessing, Karla flew to Boston with her husband, Frank, and running partner Joey, who refused to run any faster than Karla for the entire race. Both finished in less than six hours, earning finisher’s medals.
“The UNC doctors and nurses were family to me,” Karla says. “Now when I go back for check-ups I try to say hello to all the medical personnel who helped me. Angels like Mala and Pat lifted my spirits and made me laugh. Dr. Carey is extraordinary.”
Karla’s advice to other cancer patients echoes the words of her training partner: “You didn’t sign up for this cancer marathon, but you’re going to run it. And I know you will run it well.”