JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Kerri Henderson plans to take on a marathon the same way she took on breast cancer: head-on.
"I was sitting at my desk and I you know I got the call; it's breast-cancer,” Kerri Henderson said.
Henderson's September 2014 mammogram caught the cancer early, but still the news took the otherwise healthy mother and wife by surprise.
“When I had to call my mom that's when it started becoming real,” she said.
The diagnosis left her numb. Uncertain about her future, Henderson turned to a team of doctors at Mayo Clinic.
“Once I knew what I had to do once we had a plan I was fine and I knew I could do this I could get through this."
The plan included 35 rounds of radiation treatment over a two month period. Henderson said her cancer was not as invasive what she saw in other women, and that the hours spent in the waiting rooms left her feeling guilty.
“I think it something I do still struggle with and I think that's why you know I feel the tug I feel just calling to help women to really try to be a voice,” Henderson said.
She began wearing pink and championing the cause by asking area businesses to donate to research. Eventually she started training for the 26.2 mile Donna marathon.
A tough journey, Henderson still finds the positive.
“It's brought a lot of amazing amazing strong positive incredible women into my life and I'm very fortunate for that,” she said.
Henderson added she now finds motivation from those women. Raising about $5,000 over the past year, she vowed to get more money and people to support finding a cure.
“I think with the right team we can do it I really do I'm really hopeful," Henderson said.
Looking ahead, she is already planning fundraisers for later in the year, hoping to raise even more in 2018.
