While Adi Tabarangao’s running journey didn’t begin until 2015, her story really started more than a decade earlier. 

She was first diagnosed with uterine cancer in 1999 after she had her son. “It was a long and scary road to recovery,” she says, “yet I was a survivor.” Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of it. In 2004, she started to sick again. She says she spent most of the year, “feeling awful and going from one specialist to another. I was shocked to find out I had thyroid cancer. Honestly, at the time, I didn’t even know what a ‘thyroid’ was or what it did. After that surgery and treatment, life went on as normal, a very new normal, but I never truly felt like myself.” Adi says she still struggles.

In March of 2014, she underwent yet another major surgery in which her entire stomach was removed along with 80 percent of her small intestines and part of her esophagus. Adi says, “I knew my life wouldn’t be the same, but more importantly I needed to find a healthy coping mechanism for my anxiety and depression.”

It was a very slow process, but she started going to the gym and met a runner. “Mind you I wasn’t a workout person and I hated the thought of running,” Adi says. But the runner friend convinced her that she could run a half marathon. Not only that, but she insisted that Adi could run the distance six weeks later.

“At the time I couldn’t run around the block. I ran my first half marathon in May of 2015 and have been running ever since.” 

That was the turning point for Adi. “In July 2015, something in me ignited and sparked what I now refer to as an unstoppable warrior! What I didn’t realize then was the difference between being alive and living! My health wasn’t good and without even realizing it I was letting it define me and in turn, it was stealing who I once was.” 

Since then, Adi has completed six full marathons, more than 30 half-marathons, a 30-kilometer military ruck, a 25K, and many more running challenges and shorter-distances races.

“To think back to 2015 when the mere thought of running made me cringe to what I have accomplished since is beyond amazing in my eyes.” Adi adds, “I realize it might look crazy to most people, but it’s the only thing that keeps me sane and honestly feels like the only thing I can control.”

And unfortunately, Adi has had more complications with her health. Her life was turned upside down again in 2017, she says. “On March 10th I got the most severe pain that only continued to get worse. I went to the ER and was immediately admitted.”

From March 10th through the end of May, Adi underwent seven surgeries, two trips to ICU fighting for her life, six blood transfusions, and numerous scans, procedures and tests. “My weight became dangerously low, so I was being tube fed; and everything a healthy body should do, mine was struggling to do. I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer and eosinophilic hepatitis, which led to liver failure.” 

Adi is still constantly in and out of the hospital for procedures, treatments, infusions, surgeries, and to address all the side effects. “The hardest part is trying to accept a new normal that’s consistently inconsistent,” she says. 

“I’ve had to deal with so much guilt and it weighs so heavily on me,” she adds. “It was so bad at one point that I contemplated suicide. I’m financially ruined and that’s another constant burden I have to deal with and at times it’s so overwhelming.”

She also deals with constant pain, nausea, and vomiting on a daily basis, which she says makes her life challenging. But she’s found ways to deal with it, which includes running.

“I HATE medication especially when it comes to pain meds or things for anxiety, depression, etc. It took a lot for the Oncology Anesthesia team to convince me to try a pain patch, but it is now a part of my life and I’m NOT ashamed of it. For my anxiety, depression, fear, or whatever else I may be feeling, running is my medication of choice. Running is hard, my pace has slowed, but I continue to lace up and give it my best,” she explains. 

“I’m a runner, a marathoner, and I will continue to live MY life on MY terms regardless of what the doctors say. I shouldn’t even be alive, so I’m going to live every day to the fullest, never taking anything for granted.”

2020 threw another curveball at Adi, as her health issues compounded on top of the challenges of the pandemic.

“Last year was so hard, for numerous reasons. Races were getting canceled, I lost motivation, I was hospitalized four times, had numerous procedures/surgeries, and it felt like a never ending setback.” 

There was one bright spot in that time for her, though. Adi had signed up to run for a buddy through an organization called I Run 4, which matches runners with kids and adults who can’t run. Their mission is to provide inspiration, motivation, support, and inclusion to everyone who participates. That’s exactly what it’s given to Adi.  In March, after three years of being on the waiting list, she got matched with a young boy named Teddy. “Being his buddy has been life-changing for me.”

So even though 2020 felt like two steps forward, and ten steps back to Adi, she says, “Like with everything else in my life I persevered. I’m incredibly grateful for my ‘Army’ who are always by my side, unconditionally, never wavering and that is priceless to me.”

Another positive for Adi now is that she recently started to work with a running coach. “It has been a game-changer for me, and I’m so excited for what’s to happen.” 

Finally, sharing her story is incredibly important to Adi.

“I’ve chosen to share my story to help inspire others because no matter what you’re facing there is always light at the end of the trail. Don’t ever be afraid to step out of your comfort zone or to live your life to the fullest. I live my life, by my rules and I’ll never change!! I’ve learned that our bodies can do so much more than our minds lead us to believe. With a strong mind, ANYTHING is possible! Always remember it’s how we choose to deal with our challenges and obstacles that define us. Yes, I have cancer, but it sure as hell doesn’t have me!!

“Live your life, live life to the fullest, dream big, make goals and crush them and do things you are scared to do. Complacency and comfort will kill you quicker than any disease, so get comfortable with being uncomfortable! Take your life and make it the best story ever!”