While Battling Cancer, Plainfield Woman Goes the Distance

resident Beckie Fry wants to make one thing clear.

“I’m not a runner,” the 47-year-old mom and breast cancer survivor said.

But that’s not stopping her from taking on the 16^th annual Chicago Half Marathon and Hyundai Hope on Wheels 5K.

Fry will join other members of Bolingbrook’s as they take part in the Sept. 9 half-marathon to raise money for Team World Vision, a non-profit that works to help children in Africa and Haiti.

“Our focus this year was running to build 50 wells in Africa,” Fry said.

Just as her lack of running experience didn’t deter her from getting involved with Team World Vision, Fry’s cancer diagnosis didn’t stop her from training for the half-marathon.

Fry was diagnosed with the disease in December 2011. She underwent a lumpectomy, followed by three months of radiation.

“Our church has a large group from Team World Vision,” Fry said. “Halfway through my radiation, they started promoting it.”

Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Fry checked with her doctors, who gave her the go-ahead to start running.

“I’m not a runner, I don’t look like a runner, but I thought, ‘OK, well, that’s exercise,’” she said. “They said, keep it up, this is really good for you.”

She soon found that training with fellow Team World Vision members made her feel better.

“It actually really helped with the side effects” of the radiation,” Fry said.

Despite having no experience as a runner, Fry said she’s enjoying training with her fellow church members, who meet once a week.

“They have the ‘I’ve never run before’ plan,” she said, explaining she alternates running and walking as she builds up her endurance. “I’ve been doing it since February. It’s totally fun.”

Fry and her teammates ran their longest distance to date last weekend, hitting the 11-mile mark.

“Our goal was just to finish,” she said, laughing. “We didn’t care how long we took to get it done.”

Aside from its fitness benefits, running has had another positive impact on Fry, who was declared cancer free in July.

“Because this cancer thing can consume your brain all the time, this takes the place of it,” she said. “I haven’t really dwelt on the cancer. I haven’t really head time to think about the cancer.”

For more information on Team World Vision or to make a donation to Fry’s team, visit her half-marathon website.