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Cancer Survivor Beats Odds in Half-Ironman
7 Oct
Summary
- She had a kidney removed and chemotherapy at age 8.
- She lost her mother to cancer at age 19.
- She began running just two years ago.
Meg Stevenson, aged 23, has accomplished a remarkable feat by completing a half-ironman, a significant achievement given her health history and recent start to running. She began her fitness journey less than two years ago, joining the Couch to 5k program.
Stevenson's life has been marked by significant challenges. At the age of 8, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer, which led to the removal of a kidney and intensive chemotherapy. This treatment critically reduced her lung capacity by 70%. Further tragedy struck when she was 19, with the death of her mother from cancer.
This loss placed Stevenson in charge of the family home and the care of her younger brother, Will. She described this period as 'tricky' and 'harder than I let myself realise,' prioritizing her brother's education and maintaining the household. As recently as November 2024, Stevenson noted her inability to run for even 30 seconds, reflecting a period of feeling numb and 'floating around.'
