Cancer survivor Davina McNaney began her run around 7 a.m. Friday. (Ben Parker/WBZ NewsRadio 1030)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- A New York woman began a 370-mile, 12-day run from Boston Harbor to her hometown of Sodus Point, New York on Lake Ontario Friday to raise money for breast cancer research.
"It's going to be 12 days of running non-stop, basically an ultra-marathon every day," Davina McNaney told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker about this year's run, Bostrun2NY. "This is my second run of this kind. I ran from Michigan to New York and we moved, so it was just fitting when my husband said we should do it again."
In 2012, McNaney was diagnosed with breast cancer, identified in her first mammogram. She's raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. She raised $23,000 on her first run. It's something she feels she has to do to give back.
"I'm just thankful for all the research that's come through and made it possible for people like me to go in for their first mammogram, find it, have it taken care of," she said. "I had options because of all the research. I'm stronger because of it and I came back very strong, and so this is what I can do to show my graditude and highlight the fact that, go in and get your mammogram, and research really does matter."
Part of this year's journey will take her through New Hampshire and over the Green Mountains in Vermont--which she says she has prepared for. She said she's been training for mountain work by running with a tire attached to her. She also has friends who will join her along the route. You can follow her adventures on the Bostrun2NY Facebook page, here.
Davina's husband, Steven, follows in a car and rides a bike along with her at times during the route. He spoke about his wife's motivation--not only to survive breast cancer, but to take on this long run challenge.
"She's stubborn," he said. "She's got very strong will, and when she puts her mind to something, she's going to do it. She never thinks about not being able to finish, it's just when she's going to finish. She's very good at what she does."
Visit the Bostrun2NY website here for more information and to make a donation.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports