Runner beating cancer one marathon at a time
by ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporter

Katie Weisser with 9-year-old Ryan Dinnocenzo at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Weisser ran a marathon there with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training in honor of Ryan, who is a leukemia patient. The Williamsville resident plans to run in the San Diego Marathon in June.

Katie Weisser has always been a runner but never in an organized way.

"I ran in college to relieve stress," the 23-year-old Williamsville resident said. "I was always athletic and played sports."

It wasn't until a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training coach named Pat LaDuca began to hound her about participating in the fundraising marathon that Weisser considered formal running training.

"She was driving me nuts," Weisser laughed.

But she accepted the challenge and began training to run a marathon at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in honor of a local leukemia patient, 9-year-old Ryan Dinnocenzo.

"Ryan has acute lymphoblastic leukemia," Weisser said. "He and his family actually came down with me as their first family vacation."

Weisser raised close to $10,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society last year. She will be running again this year in June at the San Diego Marathon.

"My first marathon time was 4:27," Weisser said of the 26.2-mile competition. She ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon last year with an improved time of 3:57. She's shooting to qualify for the Boston Marathon at 3:40.

"It's not about the time, it's about crossing the finish line," Weisser said.

The money raised by all Team Cure participants has helped develop new medicines and treatments for leukemia and lymphoma patients as well as provide services for patients and their families.

"It's rewarding seeing things like that," Weisser said. "I always wear my Team in Training bracelet and my bracelet with Ryan's name on it."

In addition to raising the $4,000 minimum for Team Cure, Weisser is training, going to graduate school and teaching fourth grade in the City of Tonawanda schools. She's also been recruiting her friends to raise funds and run a marathon as well.

"I'm mentoring for Team Cure this year, too," Weisser added. "It's perfect for me because I like to talk when I run, and it's a lot more important to me to help other people experience what I've experienced."

Weisser will be running again in honor of Ryan and also in memory of the mother of a student she had while student teaching in the Sweet Home school district.

"She actually passed away from cancer in April," Weisser said. "After she found out what I was doing last year with the marathon, we started e-mailing back and forth. She really inspired me."

As for fundraising, Weisser is hitting the pavement hard, looking for businesses for corporate sponsorship as well as individual donations. Her family will be creating T-shirts with the sponsors' names on the back and wearing them in San Diego in support of Weisser.

To donate to Weisser in support of her marathon run, visit the Web site www.active. com/ donate/ tntwnyfl/ tntwnyflKWeisse.