For Toronto’s Beth Johnston, running isn’t just a way to get exercise—it became a vital part of her resilience during her battle with cancer. As she faced months of grueling treatments, running provided a way to stay strong, maintain some sense of control and stay connected to a life that was constantly being upended. Despite overwhelming odds, Johnston even completed six races while undergoing treatment. The power of running is something that surprised her, and it should inspire us all.
Finding strength in motion
After years of playing soccer and hockey, Johnston found her true calling in running seven years ago, after the birth of her daughter. Living in Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood, she would see runners every day and felt the pull to join them. But it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia that she realized just how critical running would become.
“I knew I had to keep moving in order to show up for them,” she says, referring to her young children, Ella and Holden. “The last thing I wanted was their lives to be disrupted or for them to worry. I did not want to be seen as a patient.”
Running through treatment
When Johnston first spoke to her doctors, she had one burning question: When can I run again? Despite skepticism from some of her medical team, her oncologist was also a runner and understood Johnston’s drive. “She was cautiously supportive,” she recalls. “Neither of us knew how far I could go, but I was determined to try.”
Johnston’s treatments came fast and furious: chemotherapy, lumbar pokes, bone marrow biopsies, immunotherapy and hospital admissions. Yet, she never let them stop her from running. “Running helped me in ways I can’t fully explain,” she says. “It curbed my nausea, boosted my appetite, and kept me strong. Most importantly, it helped me maintain my mental toughness. I was constantly heading to the hospital for treatments, but running gave me something to look forward to.”
A pursuit of normalcy
Running also allowed Johnston to maintain a sense of normalcy in a life that had suddenly been turned upside down. “My kids rarely saw me as sick. They just saw their mom getting out there for runs, talking about kilometres and pace like any other runner,” she says. This was a crucial part of her journey—remaining a strong, active presence for her children during an incredibly challenging time. Remarkably, Johnston completed six races during her treatment. “Each race gave me more and more hope. When I was feeling terrible, I would picture my kids’ faces, and that would get me out the door,” she explains. “The fresh air helped me push through, even when the physical challenges felt impossible.”
The physical and mental strength to continue
During her treatment, running became a way for Johnston to stay connected to the life she was fighting for. “Cancer makes you feel like you have very little control,” she explains. “Running was the counterbalance to that. It gave me something I could track and feel excited about. No matter how bad I felt, I always found a way to get out the door.”
When her energy waned, Johnston relied on a mantra that kept her moving: “Try it for five minutes, and then you can stop.” She never stopped after five minutes. “I don’t remember a time when I quit early,” she says. Even when she felt awful, running gave her the strength to push through, and it kept her blood counts healthy enough to handle the intensity of the treatments.
Training for the ultimate challenge
With a life-saving stem cell transplant on the horizon, she knew she needed to be as strong as possible going into it. “I had to wear a three-pound pump 24/7 to receive immunotherapy, and I immediately figured out how to run with it in my hydration vest,” she says. “I trained even harder to prepare my body for the transplant. It was a lot of running and strength training, and eating everything I could to maintain my weight.”
Though the transplant itself was the hardest thing Johnston says she has ever gone through, her determination to get back to running helped her endure it. “The anticipation of running again, along with the support of my husband, Greg, my parents, and my running community, kept me going,” she says.
An appreciation for every step
Now, as Johnston recovers from her transplant, she emphasizes the value of every run. “Cancer is life-changing, and it can feel limiting as an athlete. But it doesn’t have to be. Everyone’s cancer journey is different, but I’ve learned to never take a run for granted.”
Her journey has also inspired her to encourage others to take action. “To anyone under 35, consider getting on the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry. You might be able to give someone else many more kilometres,” she urges. “I’m forever grateful to my anonymous donor, who gave me a second chance at life. Running and cancer are both hard, but we can do hard things.”
To learn more about stem cell donation in Canada, or to register to donate, click here. In the U.S., head here.
