Walking a marathon on crutches – the determination of one cancer patient

Walker Devann Murphy completed the 26.2-mile route on crutches in 2014. Here she is showing her strength on the course.

The Boston Marathon® course has a reputation of being one of the most difficult marathon courses in the world. It is a point of pride for those who run or walk the 26.2-mile route each year.

Last September, many participants of the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai encountered a walker who lifted their spirits and reminded them why they had decided to walk.

“Standing in line in Hopkinton to board the shuttle bus, there was a couple who stood out. The woman was on crutches and in a Super girl shirt. I assumed she was just keeping her husband company as he waited for the bus. I was wrong. That’s when I noticed the Pacesetter bib that she was wearing. She, too, boarded the bus. I was behind her again at the starting area where one of the volunteers at the food tent mentioned the crutches. She pointed to the back of her shirt which said ‘chemo gave me superpowers’.”

This note, submitted by a fellow participant, was one of many that flooded in after the 2014 event. A survivor of childhood osteosarcoma and a femur transplant, Devann Murphy took on the 26.2-mile course on crutches. She and her husband, Tom, walked more than a dozen hours on the course, talking with many fellow participants along the way, before crossing the finish line in Copley Square.

Devann nearing the finish line at the 2014 Boston Marathon® #JimmyFundWalk.

Finishing 26.2-miles is an extraordinary accomplishment, and to complete it on crutches is nothing short of amazing. This March, Devann found out how truly inspirational her trek was when she received the 2014 Alumni Walker of the Year award at the annual Extra Mile Brunch. Nominations were read aloud, and as she made her way to the stage, the crowd of nearly 600 got on their feet to applaud her tremendous achievement.

Every participant in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk laces up for different reasons: a friend, a family member, a colleague, or even themselves, but they all join together for a greater goal: a world without cancer. What inspires you to walk? Tell us in the comments section below.

K. Connors
Account Manager/Writer, Development Communications