Conquering Cancer and NYC Marathon One Step at a Time for Kilometer Kids
When Scott Cohen learned that he'd been selected as part of the Kilometer Kids Charity Team to run the TCS New York City Marathon, he remembers feeling both scared and excited.
As a runner, triathlete and member of the Smyrna and Atlanta running communities, he was thrilled to take on one of the largest marathons in the world for a cause near to his heart.
That same week in late March, the 45-year-old Cohen slammed into a hurdle: He also received a cancer diagnosis on his salivary gland.
Less than a month later, Cohen underwent extensive surgery involving an incision down the back of his ear and neck to remove the tumor and 42 lymph nodes.
But the surgery - and the radiation that followed - barely slowed him down. Cohen, a personal injury lawyer who had sworn off marathons after his first and only 12 years ago, was still determined to run those 26.2 miles from Staten Island to Central Park.
"There was a part of me that I didn't want cancer to take away," he said.
He even ran the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race two days before his last treatment, impressing his nurses and doctors.
"I think [doing the Peachtree] was a great reminder to [Scott] that he's stronger than he thinks he is," said his wife, Kathleen. "It was certainly a needed morale boost."
Kathleen, now 39, and Scott both started running in 2012, when they did their first Peachtree. One or the other has run every year since, alternating child-care duties. In February 2023, Kathleen founded the Kilometer Kids location in Smyrna, offering hundreds of children in grades K-5 the benefits of fitness, healthy habits and community. Those kids include their own: Tova and Zev, now 8 and 10.
On July 11, Cohen victoriously rang a bell at Emory Winship Cancer Institute signifying the end of his treatment.
"Thank you for all your support and love, in lightening this burden and making this rather difficult journey easier," he wrote on his Facebook post announcing the end of his treatment.
Only two weeks after this celebration, he received the all-clear from his medical team and started training for the New York City Marathon for Kilometer Kids.
"Sometimes I look at Kilometer Kids and wish I had something like this growing up," he said. "I love the fact that it turns running into a game, and my kids love it. It helped us a lot being able to start a local [Kilometer Kids] program only five minutes from the house so more kids can enjoy it, too."
Still recovering from radiation and facing "erratic fatigue," Scott focused on his mindset and staying optimistic when starting the training block.
"I felt motivated at first knowing that I had to run 26.2 miles in November, but I also held myself accountable because I was asking friends and family to help me fundraise [for Kilometer Kids]," he said. "If they were going to give me money for the program, I knew I had to live up to my end of the bargain."
Cohen fulfilled his fundraising requirement and more by race day, raising more than $4,000 for the Kilometer Kids program.
While running through all five boroughs, he was increasingly motivated by other charity runners, particularly one runner wearing a shirt that said, "Imagine a world without cancer." As he crossed the finish line in 5:15.44, he looked at his Garmin and saw that he'd achieved a personal best by more than 35 minutes.
Kathleen, Tova and Zev were there at the finish line to celebrate both a great day for Kilometer Kids and a monumental one for their husband and father.
"If you were to tell me that I would have the best race of my life five months after a devastating cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery, I'd say you're full of it," he said. "It was an amazing race."
Those interested can still donate to the 2024 NYC Marathon Kilometer Kids Charity Team here until Nov. 16.
