Tina started running in 2005, and completed her first half-marathon two weeks before graduating from medical school. She hadn’t planned on running a full marathon, but when her brother, Michael, was diagnosed with Lymphoma during her intern year of residency, she needed an outlet for the stress. So Tina started preparing for her first marathon with Team in Training to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research.

“When I finished that race, I told my brother if I ever ran another marathon, he’d have to run with me,” Tina said.

Michael, in remission since the fall of 2006, has since completed four other marathons with Tina, and will run alongside her in the Marine Corps Marathon. This upcoming marathon will be Tina’s sixth full marathon; she’s completed 13 half-marathons. Cheering her on in Washington D.C. will be her parents Tom and Nabila Kearney and her aunt JoAnn, among other family members.

In its 37-year history, the Marine Corps Marathon has seen several famous personalities cross its finish line — from comedian Drew Carey to celebrity Oprah Winfrey, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Last year, 30,000 entries were received in less than three hours. So what inspired Tina to tackle this prestigious and challenging event?

“I have a friend whose husband is a Marine, and she was interested in this particular race. Plus, I’d heard such good things about the MCM; I wanted to experience it,” Tina said, “As a bonus, my Uncle Jim had lived in the D. C. area at one point in his life when he worked for the government.”

As of this writing, Tina has raised $1,900 towards her goal of $3,000. If you would like to make a donation and help her contribute to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, visit her fundraising page at www.active.com/donate/runtoremember2013/tinakearney2013.

– article submitted by Marsha VanHecke