Four runners dressed in pink lined up in Caras Park in Missoula on Saturday, for the annual Race for the Cure, including one runner who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017.
“When you hear the word cancer, and it's in your body, there is always a question mark," said Mary Johnson who had a lumpectomy and is now on medicine to treat it.
She says her support group and faith got her through. "It's not about how hard your journey was, it's a journey, and we all walk it together."
Amy Coseo and Lauren Black were the first cancer survivors to finish the race.
“She’s celebrating three years cancer free, this month I’m celebrating four, my mom is celebrating two, my cousins celebrating a year and a half. And we started talking and running together, and we were like we are definitely finishing this together," said Coseo.
Three weeks before her diagnosis, Black turned 30 and finished a half marathon. She was also breastfeeding her newborn son at the time.
“My whole family was blind-sighted, honestly. It was just not something that was even on anybody's radar," said Black whos' been staying active, taking care of her family, and meeting new friends every day.
Black and Coseo met on the trail, and now they plan to train together for the Missoula Marathon.
“It’s gonna happen, we’re gonna do it, 2020, And you'll be celebrating four years, and you'll be celebrating five. Which is a big deal," said Black.
