Pregnant cancer survivor takes on Philadelphia 8K, her toughest test since 2024 Olympics
By Stephanie Stahl
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Philadelphia (KYW) — Philadelphia Marathon weekend is here, and one of the runners in Saturday’s 8K race will be a Villanova University field hockey coach who’s also pregnant and a cancer survivor.
Former Olympic athlete Karlie Kisha was at Independence Mall on Friday getting her Runners for Research T-shirt, ready for Saturday’s 8K race, which is part of the Philadelphia Marathon weekend.
“Looking for a 9-minute mile pace,” Kisha said, “but seven months pregnant, just kind of going to have fun with it and just enjoy the day.”
Kisha says the challenge of running about 5 miles pregnant is nothing compared to what she’s been through.
“I was diagnosed in April of last year,” Kisha said.
Kisha had thyroid cancer and was just 29 years old.
“My first surgery, I got my thyroid out, so your thyroid’s right here,” Kisha said, “and the cancer did spread to my lymph nodes, which goes all the way over to here. They took about 20 out.”
But there wasn’t much time to recover.
Kisha was on the U.S. field hockey team and was cleared to go to the Olympics in Paris just days before the team left.
“No one thought I could do it,” Kisha said. “I didn’t even think I was gonna be able to do it.”
Kisha says she was in the best shape of her life. That didn’t keep the cancer away, and the surgery didn’t keep her from the Olympics.
“It wasn’t just back running,” Kisha said. “It was back on the international stage, so I actually played in the game two weeks later, which is crazy.”
After Paris, Kisha was home for more treatments.
“In July, I had radiation,” Kisha said.
Grateful for the successful cancer treatments, Kisha is joining the American Association for Cancer Research team running to raise money for cancer research.
“I have had a great experience with my cancer situation,” Kisha said, “and I just want other people to also have an experience like mine.”
Kisha will be among 1,000 runners on the team, sharing the message that cancer research saves lives.
Kisha’s baby, her first, is due in mid-January. The group she’s running with is aiming to raise $8,000 for cancer research.
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