Aberdeen Woman Running in Marathon for National MS Society

Running has become a way of life for 27-year-old Emily Johnson; a way of life that doctors never dreamed possible for her at birth.

Emily's parents were told that their daughter would likely be bound to a wheelchair, but at two-and-a-half years old Emily did the improbable. She learned to walk like an average toddler.

Emily didn't start running as a hobby until around the time she met her now-husband, Victor, while they were both studying at Penn State.

"He's been a runner for a good portion of his life," she said. "He was training for a marathon when I first met him and he said something to me to the effect that I could never do that, and I don't take challenges like that lightly, so I started training."

Since then, Emily and Victor have enjoyed running together, whether for exercise or in preparation for a marathon.

When Victor was 24, however, the couple was hit with a shocking diagnosis. Victor discovered he had Multiple Sclerosis after going for a routine dental exam. He was experiencing numbness in his mouth, Emily explained, and the dentist suggested an MRI. The MRI showed an anomaly in his brain, leaving the couple in fear of a brain cancer diagnosis.

"It's a very frightening thought," Emily said. "In a lot of ways we felt relieved he was diagnosed with MS, because the alternative of potentially having brain cancer was really frightening."

Multiple Sclerosis, which is described by the National MS Society as "a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system," did not manage to slow the couple's stride. Victor not only continued running but is training for another marathon in Philadelphia, Emily explained.

Emily wants to raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis and is working to raise money for the National MS Society as she trains for the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 4, her third marathon.

"He's lucky that we live in this generation where there are treatments and medication and knowledge about MS. We want to keep spreading the word so other people who get diagnosed also have a seamless transition and do not have to stop living their lives," she said. 

Even though running 26 miles and 385 yards in one shot is not easy, Emily says she reminds herself of the bigger picture to keep herself motivated.

"It's less about being a runner and it's more about being mental prepared to run that long," Emily said. "When I find racing and running hard, I think how lucky I am to be doing this, to be out there running. There are a lot of people with MS who can't get out there and run every day."

"Everything in life is a challenge. It's how you handle it," she added. 

Donations can be made to the National MS Society online at http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/emilyjohnson