Austin runner raising money for brain cancer charity in NYC marathon
Montgomery Lax may be the only runner at the New York City marathon this year who has active brain cancer. She is attempting to run the marathon 100 days after ending her chemo treatment in order to raise money for brain cancer research.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Montgomery Lax may be the only runner at the New York City marathon this year who has active brain cancer. She is attempting to run the marathon 100 days after ending her chemo treatment in order to raise money for brain cancer research.
Lax is running for the American Brain Tumor Association. She got the call on her last day of chemo treatment and was excited to hear she got in. The charity had funded scientific research that led to the current treatment she was taking to stabilize the tumor in the left frontal lobe of her brain.
Lax is currently training in the hot Texas sun to be ready for the 26.2 miles in November, but the hard work pales in comparison to what she went through in the past year. She has been forced to deal with a brain cancer diagnosis, allergic reactions to drugs, and even a dog attack.
A lot can happen in a year
Lax's journey begins about 18 months before the start of the marathon. She was visiting her ear, nose, and throat doctor about sinus headaches. Her doctor ordered a MRI late on a Wednesday night, Lax remembers. Her mom took her to the appointment.
"Famous last words when I got out of the car to my mom, 'I hope they find something because I'm here so late,'" Lax said.
They did find something. A tumor in her brain. She was diagnosed with oligodendroglioma. Lax said she was happy to learn about the diagnosis. A teacher at Leander Independent School District, who holds a masters in mathematics, Lax said she was having trouble doing mental math in the years leading up to her diagnosis. She felt her body was aging forward, but her mind was aging backward.
"In a way I was kind of happy I got the brain cancer because it made me feel so much better about what I had gone through," Lax explained.
Days after the diagnosis, Lax was being prepped for surgery. Doctors were able to remove a portion of the tumor, but a golf-ball size chunk remains in her head. She began chemotherapy where she eventually had an allergic reaction known as necrotizing vasculitis, when your blood vessels begin to leak.
She was then involved in a dog attack where she needed two separate surgeries on her hand. A very long year for most people, but Lax is still motivated to complete the NYC marathon. She had previously run the Dallas marathon after a spinal fusion surgery and with zero training.
"Having that experience of running a marathon before I even got diagnosed with brain cancer it made me feel so much stronger," Lax explained.
Her family is not surprised at how strong she is. Her sister, Madison D'Ortana, is now training alongside her sister as she gets ready for the Dallas half-marathon. D'Ortana said this toughness has been present in Lax her whole life.
"She's fierce. She's stubborn. Nothing will ever hold her back," D'Ortana explained.
How you can help
The American Brain Tumor Association gave Lax a goal of $3,000 to raise for the charity, which she has already surpassed. She said her goal is to raise at least $10,000 for the organization. You can find the page to donate on the American Brain Tumor Association website or by clicking this link.