COLUMBIA (WACH)-- A group of Columbia women has spent the last several months waking up before dawn to train for a marathon and raise money for cancer research.
Columbia native Leah McKee is one of them. She’s leaving for San Francisco Friday to run in the Nike Women’s Marathon.
McKee and the others are helping raise money to fight blood cancers through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program.
“I’ve always wanted to run a marathon. It’s been a life goal of mine and now, it’s become so much more than that,” says McKee.
McKee is running for people like 6-year-old Abigail Mathias of Irmo.
She was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 4-years-old.
“It wasn’t fun when I was sick. I got sad,” says Abigail.
After two years of grueling treatment, Abigail went into remission.
“We just want her to be healthy, happy and to have a regular childhood,” says Abigail’s mother Heather Mathias.
While doctors are keeping a close eye on Abigail, she is blossoming these days. Abigail enjoys playing with her dolls, watching television, and gymnastics.
She says she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.
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