One month after defying the chances and qualifying for his ninth Boston Marathon in September whereas battling stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma–the rarest of uncommon cancers–Dana Fox of Waterloo, Ont., acquired devastating information: his tumour was rising once more.
But he refused to be stopped from returning to Boston, and after enduring two extra months of gruelling chemotherapy, becoming a member of a medical trial for a brand new drug and galvanizing many alongside the best way, the 66-year-old completed the 42.2K race in 5 hours and 36 minutes.
“It was an epic weekend,” Fox instructed Canadian Working. “Longest time on toes ever–I used to be cautious to not go too far within the deep finish. I simply thought each step was for a household that wasn’t positive if they might make it to the end line.”
The preliminary analysis
In October 2023, throughout a Sunday future, Fox felt tingling in his fingers and shortness of breath. Inside 5 days, he was identified with cholangiocarcinoma, a really aggressive most cancers that types within the bile ducts. He was instructed he wouldn’t make it previous October 2024.
He started chemo that December, persevering with till Might; immunotherapy, which assists the immune system with figuring out and attacking most cancers cells, continued till September 2024.
“As quickly as you do chemo, you may’t run,” Fox stated. “You retain getting weaker, you may’t make it up stairs, you’re simply gassed.”
However when his son, Jordan, identified that “Chemo is an harm–athletes know the way to recuperate from an harm,” Fox was extra motivated than ever to beat his most cancers. He introduced his first pair of trainers, gifted to him by his father in 1971, to each chemo “exercise.”
The return to working
By January 2024, Fox had already misplaced 25 lb; he couldn’t even help himself on his bike. With misplaced physique fats and muscle mass, he needed to put on a winter hat and coat to remain heat whereas biking. However he was decided to attempt working anyway–at first simply making it down the driveway, then across the circle on his avenue. He joined a neighborhood race, the Arctic Mile, in February, working simply the ultimate 30 metres.
The day after ending chemo within the spring, he raced a 5K, not realizing if he’d be capable to end–however got here fourth in his age group. “Your physique doesn’t wish to stop,” he stated. “Your physique desires to stay.” He continued to attempt working daily, however averted speedwork and lengthy runs.
The next weekend, Fox and his household took on the 200K Trip to Conquer Most cancers, elevating C$40,000. “You get to fulfill 5,000 different folks affected by most cancers,” he stated. “You notice you’re not the one one.”
Qualifying for Boston
Fox nonetheless doesn’t understand how he managed to qualify for the 2025 Boston Marathon. “It’s an attention-grabbing coaching program when you’ve got most cancers and are coming off chemo,” he stated. “I did six lengthy runs–I went from barely doing a 5K in June to working a marathon in September. And I didn’t simply end–I certified for Boston. That doesn’t simply occur.”
On the 2024 Georgina Marathon, Fox clocked 3:56:50, beating the cut-off time by greater than a minute.
“If I adopted their recommendation, I’d have been a statistic”
In October 2024, when a CT scan confirmed his tumour was rising once more, he determined he was sick of listening to the phrases “I’m so sorry, there’s nothing you are able to do.”
“I would like a coach that tells me what I must work on,” Fox stated. He was referred to The Princess Margaret Most cancers Centre in Toronto, the place his new surgeon, Dr. Sean Cleary, requested him, “You look fairly match, what’s the plan?”
After present process chemo for an additional two months, Fox entered right into a medical trial for a brand new drug, Tibsovo; he’s one among simply 16 folks in Canada within the trial. And up to now, he’s confronted zero unwanted side effects.
For his marathon construct, he slowly elevated the time he spent biking, after which working. He accomplished 5 lengthy runs over 5 weeks–constructing from 10K to 30K by the top of March. “I’ve taken a detour within the center, however I’m going to make it to the beginning line in Boston,” he stated. “Will I get a PB? No. However I’ll be glad to make it to the beginning line and glad to make it to the end line.”
Utilizing his journey to unfold hope
Fox’s most cancers journey goes far past simply his personal private remedy–he has constructed a neighborhood of hope. The athlete has spoken at cholangiocarcinoma conferences to attach with different survivors and most cancers researchers. “All of them need slightly little bit of hope–even when it’s to do one thing simpler than a marathon,” Fox stated. “If there’s one one who can rise up and say it was onerous, nevertheless it wasn’t not possible, then which may give them the hope they want. You don’t should see the end line to maintain transferring ahead.”
Fox has additionally made his personal podcast, Working With Hope, and wrote a guide, Surviving Most cancers Marathon: Methods for Most cancers Restoration, Inspiration and Wellness. His latest endeavour is a documentary, set to premiere throughout Most cancers Week in February 2026. “We’ve began filming already,” Fox stated. “They spent every week in my home, and are available to all my exercises and Sunday lengthy runs.”
At one among his conferences, he met Sydney Towle, a 23-year-old runner with cholangiocarcinoma; he invited her to be a part of the documentary, and the pair made plans to run subsequent 12 months’s New York Metropolis Marathon collectively as a fundraiser.
He’s additionally began constructing “learn to run” program with native working shops for these present process most cancers remedy. “The teams will meet a few times week,” he stated. “It will likely be a great incentive to get out of home, not be lonely and learn to be cellular once more.”
What’s subsequent?
The Canadian M65-69 marathon report stands at 2:56–and Fox sees it as one more problem to beat. “On the 2026 Berlin Marathon, if I’m aiming for sub-three, I’d as properly go after the report.”