Binghamton, NY (WBNG Binghamton) It's not a race but a fight to the finish against ovarian cancer.
A 5K for Brittany Darling took off from Otsiningo Park Saturday morning.
Action News Reporter Haley Burton tells us about the 19-year old who is determined to finish her own race.
19-year-old Brittany Darling has been battling ovarian cysts since she was 11.
Darling's been in and out of the hospital for the last 3 years and this February she found out she had stage 3 ovarian and abdominal cancer.
"When I first found out, all I could think of is the St. Jude's commercials where the kid is just lying in bed like barely awake, just totally out of it. I thought, wow, I don't want to be like that. I want to get things done. I want to finish school, I have things I want to get done in the future," said Darling.
That's why people from all over laced up their sneakers and ran in the fight for the Chenango Forks native.
The first 5k Annual Fitness for the Fight took off at Otsiningo Park.
"It's crazy just to see everyone out here and be like "hey Brittany I'm so and so. I heard about it from this person who heard about it from this person." It's incredible to see how all these people out here who have never met me before and don't know who I am to come out here."
There were raffles, music, food and even massages for the participants.
All the money raised helps pay outstanding medical bills and other expenses for Darling who now lives in Arizona.
More than 300 people crossed this finish line for Brittany. But the goal was not only to raise money but awareness about ovarian cancer.
"The message is if you feel something is not right, dig into it deeper. With Brittany, they thought it was a cyst, they thought it was this. There's a blood test you can get, it's called a CA 125 that will guide you to be able to tell if it's ovarian cancer," said Jennifer White, Darling's Aunt and Benefit Organizer.
"I'm just kinda still trying to live my life and take care of things. Keep going and push forward and I'm not going to let this get in my way," said Darling.
Just like her t-shirt says, Darling's a fighter.
In Binghamton, Haley Burton, WBNG-TV Action News.
About 1 in 72 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her lifetime.
That's according to the Center For Disease Control.
If you would like to donate to help Brittany Darling, head to www.brittanydarling.com
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