Running was a way of life for Jessica Purcell, participating in races every year. However, she had to trade in the sneakers for hospital slippers, after being diagnosed with cancer.
Purcell was nine weeks pregnant when she got the news, she had breast cancer.
Jessica gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy named Jameson.
“He’s our little miracle man, he went through 12 rounds of chemo and surgery with me,” said Purcell.
As for her own diagnosis, the cancer has spread to her liver.
“There was no other option but to fight and just get through it and deal with it, even through the hard days. I’ve had some very low lows,” said Purcell.
Purcell’s days of running 10Ks and half marathons are a distant memory. She’ll be in cancer treatment the rest of her life.
“My army career has always kept me active and since I’ve been in treatment, it's been very difficult to remain active and it's been really hard for me mentally to not have that outlet,” said Purcell.
Purcell and her baby and now learning to crawl, walk and run together.
“Even walking to the end of the street to the stop sign was very strenuous,” said Purcell.
This Saturday, Purcell is going to try her best to participate in Miles for Moffitt. She plans to walk the 1K while pushing Jameson and her 2-year-old daughter in a stroller.
She has been training in her St. Pete neighborhood. On paper, a 1K doesn’t seem like much, but for this team, it means everything.
“Miles for Moffitt is now my first little milestone of trying to get some normalcy back and I’m really excited to just be out and participating in a community run that helps to benefit research for cancer,” said Purcell.
For more information on Miles for Moffitt, you can click here for more information.
