BOSTON MARATHON YSU graduate trains for a meaninful race

Jeannie Nelson will run the Boston Marathon for her cancer-stricken nephew.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Jeannie Nelson of Columbus will be running for two in this year's Boston Marathon on April 19.
She will be carrying her nephew, Joey, on her back -- in spirit.
"I am going to have a 'Pray for Joey' on the back of my shirt," said Jeannie, 28, of Columbus, a Poland High and Youngstown State graduate who is dedicating her first Boston Marathon to her cancer-stricken nephew.
Joey Nelson, 11, is the son of Jeannie's brother, Tim, and his wife Melissa of Park Ridge, Ill. Joey recently was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma, a high-grade cancer of the third-degree (on a four-degree scale), and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Jeannie, the daughter of Chuck Nelson of Canfield and Delores Nelson of Poland, qualified for the Boston Marathon last fall in the Columbus Marathon in 3:39.55. She just made it because the qualifying requirement for women ages 18-34 is 3:40.59.
Doing it for Joey
"That was my first marathon. You have two years to use the qualifying time [for Boston]," said Jeannie, a dental hygienist for Dr. John Dickerson in Columbus. "I was going to wait one year, but when I heard that [Joey] had cancer [on Dec. 10], I decided I wanted to do it for him and to dedicate it to him and use it as a fund-raiser to defray some of his expenses.
"Basically my entire family is involved. It is a family effort."
Other members of the immediate family are: Chuck and Maureen Nelson of Coventry, R.I.; Pat Nelson of Austintown; Ferrell and Kelly Holt of Jupiter, Fla.; and Michelle Nelson, the elder Chuck's wife. Chuck, Pat and Kelly are Jeannie's brothers and sister.
The family is accepting contributions to help offset the mounting costs associated with Joey's medical treatments. And Jeannie is seeking sponsors for the Boston Marathon, requesting $1 per mile ($26 total) or $2 mile ($52 total), or any other contributions for the 26-mile run.
Distributed flyers
Jeannie said her family mailed about 200 flyers to family and friends to inform them of Joey's illness and to request their financial assistance and sponsorship for her Boston run.
"A lot of the people we sent [flyers] to made copies and sent them on to their friends," said Jeannie, emphasizing that the family is determined to remain optimistic that Joey will recover. "He has a 70 percent chance [of recovery after] two years of treatment. We are really hopeful."
Jeannie said the family's faith in God sustains them.
"We are a family. We have faith in God, and we just really believe [Joey] can be cured," Jeannie said. "So we are looking at it optimistically. We have heard so many success stories, and we really are optimistic. The most important thing is that we are optimistic because of our faith in God."
Reports progress
Jeannie reported progress already from the chemotherapy that started in December.
"The tumor was the size of a football and was encapsulating his heart. Now it is the size of a grape. So he has come a long way," said Jeannie, who ran track and cross country at Poland and YSU, and continued to run after college.
She said she wasn't trying to qualify for Boston in the Columbus Marathon until she was well into the race.
"Actually I just wanted to finish. But when I saw the time I was doing per mile, I knew it was achievable so I could qualify for Boston," said Jeannie, who since then has gained even more confidence and optimism by joining the Marathoners in Training Club of about 200-300 members in Columbus.
"We get together and do long runs every Sunday morning and once during the week, and the rest of the time I am on my own time," Jeannie said.
"When I did the Columbus Marathon, I trained all alone," she added. "Now I have a lot of people challenging me, and I'm doing a lot more running."
Motivated by Joey
Jeannie also has been motivated and challenged by Joey's illness.
"When I don't feel like running, I definitely have more incentive [to run] because my nephew is a better cause. You have more incentive when you are doing it for him," Jeannie said.
"My goal is to finish the course for my nephew. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to help him by doing what I love to do -- run," Jeannie said.
"Our family is very hopeful that Joey will be given a clean bill of health. We have heard of many success stories of other people with cancer. We all have a strong faith that all things are possible with God."
To sponsor Jeannie in the Boston Marathon for Joey, checks should be made payable to Joseph Nelson and mailed to Jeannie Nelson, 597B Jason Way Ave., Columbus, OH 43215.
kovach@vindy.com