Man with cancer runs for the cure

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Thousands of runners will wear green for the Shamrock Marathon at the oceanfront this Sunday. Many will raise money for charities, some will do it just for fun.

But a cancer survivor from Virginia Beach has a deeper purpose.

Josh Wade was only 27 when he found out he had lymphoma. Since then, his life has taken turns he never expected.

"The cancer in general has been, it sounds crazy, but a blessing," he said.

A blessing, Josh Wade believes, because before his diagnosis 15 months ago he was completely different--overweight, with high blood pressure, a man without a care or a purpose, he said.

The cancer has really brought life to me," Wade said. "It's opened my eyes and made me confront fears and stuff I've never had before."

His biggest fear, next to surviving the testicular lymphoma itself, was conquering a complication from his first spinal tap treatment.

"My brain was actually sagging and that was creating severe headaches that were constant for about a month," he said. For weeks he couldn't move; now he can't stop.

Last weekend I ran, it was so beautiful, I just ran and didn't keep track of time and ended up running for two hours," said Wade.

So how did he get to the Shamrock Marathon? It started with his wife.

"She would take me by the arm and walk me from my bed to the front door and back," he said.

Next it was the mailbox, where they found out about team in training through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

"I don't know why just started training for it and just did it," said Wade.

He had never thought about running before, also never thought he would get cancer either.

Wade says he found the running helped him heal.

He crossed the finish line at the Shamrock half Marathon last year with his wife on one side and sister on the other. This year he's going the full 26.2 miles.

"Finishing is just a goal, my main purpose is to give back," Wade said--give back to the organization that gave him money, medicine and support to become the man he is today.

Click here for more information