Veronica Ramos

Story: "In early October 2018, I was training for the 2019 Houston Marathon when I started feeling sick. My symptoms: constipation, vomiting, stomach pain, fatigue. After two visits to the ER, I was told I had the stomach flu and was sent home. On my third visit to the ER, doctors confirmed I had a bowel obstruction. Fast forward: I had emergency surgery to remove a stage IIb cancerous tumor. I started chemo in November, and I completed 12 rounds by May 2019. I started training in June. I was 46. Today, I’m cancer free!"

Advice: "For anyone going through this, know that you ARE stronger than you feel or think! You WILL see better days. I had a circle of family and friends that surrounded me with encouraging words and fervent prayers. Don’t stop doing what you love. I kept teaching during chemo. I also went outside a lot...to walk, to jog, to cry, to talk to God, to feel the wind and sun on my face. You will have tough days, but there are better days ahead...believe it! You are strong, and you are never alone."