April 12, 2002

Jennifer Roberts, RN, admits she is a little nervous about running in the Boston Marathon April 15. The 24-year-old has always wanted to run in the world-famous athletic event. In fact, last year she had trained with the MassGeneral Marathon Team, but just before her marathon debut, Roberts was struck with a debilitating neurological condition that left her unable to walk, let alone run. Now, a year later, after a remarkable recovery, Roberts (right) is training again — and determined to complete the run of her life.

In 2001, Roberts joined dozens of MGH employees to train for the Boston Marathon with the MassGeneral Marathon Team "Fighting Kids' Cancer ... One Step at a Time," to help raise money for pediatric oncology patients at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Members of the team — MGH physicians, nurses, staff, patients, their families and friends — run the marathon every year in honor of MassGeneral Hospital for Children cancer patients.

"Last year I felt great throughout my training up until the end of March," says Roberts. She then started to feel numbness in one of her toes that eventually spread to both of her feet. "I hadn't run a marathon before, so I just thought this was normal for this kind of training." For weeks, the numbness continued. Then fatigue and soreness set in. One day while working on Ellison 14, Roberts could barely raise her arm over her head to attach an IV bag to a pole.

A week and a half before the marathon, Roberts went for a short-distance run and kept tripping over her own feet. She knew something was desperately wrong.

Roberts was referred to an MGH neurologist who delivered bad news — she would not be running the marathon. She was diagnosed with a rare condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome, an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves outside the brain. It is characterized by temporary paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and face. In some cases, patients may require a stay in an intensive care unit, especially if they need machine assistance to breathe. Recovery can take months and may leave long-term disabilities.

Roberts, who was diagnosed with a mild case, was immediately hospitalized and given intravenous immunoglobin therapy. The cause of the syndrome is not known, but most cases occur after a viral or bacterial infection. Roberts believes her condition resulted after a bout with a stomach bug.

After eight days in the hospital, Roberts still had a long road to recovery. The condition had affected her facial muscles to the point that she couldn't blink her eyes. She could hardly walk. Roberts relied on her boyfriend to help her with many everyday tasks such as drying her hair and eating a meal.

But throughout her illness, the one thing that she regretted the most was missing marathon day. "Everyone was very supportive, but I just couldn't believe this wild and crazy thing had happened to me." Roberts finally was able to go back to work part-time last June and then full-time in July. And much to the surprise of her family, friends and colleagues, Roberts started running in September with the hope of trying to run the marathon in 2002. "I just had to try again," she says. "I'm nervous. I won't believe it until I actually cross the finish line."

Roberts has a strong motivator to help her reach that goal. Her inspiration comes from 7-year-old Tommy Doran (shown above with Roberts), who is a leukemia patient at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Roberts was paired with Tommy, who now is in remission, as a part of the MassGeneral Marathon Team. Roberts met Tommy and his parents, Lisa and Tom Doran, in March during Tommy's last chemotherapy treatment. "He stole my heart the minute I met him," says Roberts. "I feel like I'm blessed with a lot of things and one of them is getting to know Tommy and being able to run the marathon for him."