Two-time breast cancer survivor prepares for first Chicago Marathon

As Grace Lombardo was celebrating five years without the disease, she was facing cancer again.

She won that battle and is now training for her first marathon, running for the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation to fund the fight against the disease.

The marathon will be the first for Lombardo. The miles she's logging come after a time in her life that was more difficult than any race.

"i want to prove to my body, that tried to take me out twice, that i'm still in control."

Lombardo was just 36 when she was diagnosed with Stage IIA invasive ductal carcinoma. Her children were only 7, 5 and 2. She underwent a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy.

"I was shocked, honestly. It does not run in my family. I couldn't believe this was something that was happening to me at this age."

Pictures from that time reveal how the Northbrook mother faced cancer with humor, especially when it came to her children.

"I was going to try to make cancer seem as fun as possible to them, while also making sure they understood the reality of it being something that was serious."

Five years later, Lombardo reached a milestone. She celebrated. 

What she didn't know? The cancer was back. Six months later — her second diagnosis.

"I had grown a tumor on top of my mastectomy."

This time, her children were older.

"I think they have skills, far beyond their years, because they had to learn really young that life is really precious."

Lombardo underwent two lumpectomies,16 rounds of chemotherapy and 30 radiation treatments. After that — no evidence of cancer.

Now the body that endured surgery, chemotherapy and radiation is carrying Lombardo, mile after mile. 

This year, she completed four half marathons in preparation for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. She's running 26.2 miles to benefit the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation.

"I see in the ten years since my first diagnosis the incredible medical developments that have occurred partly because of them and the research that they do. That is not lost on me."

Also not lost, who she'll be thinking about as she finishes each mile.

"I have the opportunity to do this whereas many of my comrades didn't," she said. "When I feel like I'm hitting that wall, I'm going to think to myself, you're still here and you have the ability to do it. So you just keep running."

Running has also become a way for Lombardo to honor people she's lost. Her father died from esophageal cancer in 2013.

This year, she ran the New York City Half Marathon benefiting the Degregorio Foundation for esophageal cancer research.