David Prieto is fundraising
Donate to David's Marathon for stomach cancer
My name is David Prieto, I’m a gastric cancer survivor and I have been living without a stomach since 2023. I previously ran my first and only Miami Marathon in 2020, completing it in 4 hours and 12 minutes, but for health reasons I have not been able to run it since then.
In November 2022, just 6 months after graduating from the University of Miami at 22 years old, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with a rare hereditary diffuse gastric cancer caused by the CDH1 mutation. I was lucky enough to have great doctors at the University of Miami detect the cancer early when I was admitted to the hospital with stomach pain. Upon being diagnosed, I was unfortunately told by the doctors that the next step would be to have my stomach removed. On January 18th, 2023, I underwent a total gastrectomy where they removed my stomach and connected my esophagus to my small intestine to form a new "stomach". However, though the cancer had been removed, my journey was not over yet.
In the months following the surgery, I had to learn how to eat in an entirely different way, with 6 to 7 small meals spaced throughout the day, taking an hour each meal to chew my food thoroughly for my new “stomach” to be able to handle it. As a result of that and several complications that required 5 additional procedures, I lost 40 pounds in the 6 months following my surgery. Since then, by being resilient and disciplined with my eating, I have been able to not only gain back most of my weight, but also begin to run and lift weights again. It has been my goal since the surgery to get back to the Miami Marathon and not only complete it, but to beat my previous time and finish under 4 hours.
However, this marathon isn't about showcasing my abilities; it's about sharing my story to inspire others. Determined to make a difference and inspire others facing similar challenges, I am running the marathon to raise money for "No Stomach for Cancer," a non-profit organization dedicated to stomach cancer awareness and research for screening, early detection, treatment, and prevention of stomach cancer.
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