WASHINGTON — Jackie O’Neill, who lives in Georgetown, is getting ready to run Susan G. Komen Global Race For the Cure.
O’Neill, a 82-year-old breast cancer survivor, says she wouldn’t miss it — especially with her track record. This is the 25th year for the race to benefit breast-cancer research, and she’s run in all of them.
The 5K race is in D.C. on May 10.
O’Neill says she is not worried about running the more than 3-mile distance.
“I used to run as much as a 10-miler,” she says.
She’s conquered much tougher battles.
She had breast cancer 31 years ago, and she beat it. She credits a routine mammogram with catching the disease early.
“I went in right away — that was a Friday, and Monday I was operated on.”
After her operation, she took up running, so when the Race For the Cure began 25 years ago, it was only natural that she’d run in it.
“I don’t know why I’m a survivor,” she says; “Maybe I was lucky.”
WTOP’s Lori Lundin contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
