Brotherly Love: Running On Every Continent

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Lots of people run marathons for a cause, but few have the story that John Winther of West Chester does. John wants to raise awareness about an often-unrecognized disease. To make that happen, he hopes to run to the ends of the earth.

Run along with John, and you would never know anything was wrong with him, much less that he suffers from a painful condition.

"For much of my 20s off and on, I felt like I had the body of an 80- or 90-year-old person, to be that achy, struggle to put my socks on in the morning," said John.

Eyewitness News reporter Dave Huddleston asked, "Were there times when you thought, 'I'm going crazy, what is this?'"

"Absolutely," said John.

After suffering for 15 years, John finally got a diagnosis: ankylosing spondylitis, or AS. It's pronounced ankle-LOW-sing spon-dill-EYE-tiss.

This inflammatory arthritis of the spine can cause debilitating back pain, sometimes neck pain and even vision problems, which led John to getting the right diagnosis and treatment.

"I'm able to run. I'm able to be much more athletic," said John.

John is using that athleticism to raise awareness of AS. He plans to run a marathon on every continent: Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, South America, even Antarctica!

"Scheduling one in Antarctica is a challenge! I think they do that once, twice a year," said John.

John has already run on one continent, Australia. He's also training by running shorter races like the ING Rock and Roll half-marathon in Philly earlier this month.

John hopes that his story about AS will reach people who are hurting.

"A lot of people have it, have symptoms," said John, "before they get the proper diagnosis, the proper treatment."

Once they do, John hopes they'll feel as good as he does. John plans to pay for all the trips himself.

LINK:
Spondylitis.org
http://www.spondylitis.org

Got an idea for a Brotherly Love story? Email Dave at Huddleston@CBS3.com.