A man who was diagnosed terminal cancer He recently fulfilled his lifelong dream and defied the odds by completing VinFast. Ironman World Championshipone of the most challenging sporting events in the world.

Jonathan Pascual, a 50-year-old lung transplant nurse practitioner from Vallejo, California, earned Legacy Athlete status and qualified for the World Championships this past weekend after completing more than 15 Ironman triathlons over his lifetime .

An Ironman event involves a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and ends with a 26.2-mile marathon run. The Ironman World Championship is the main event of this series.

In 2022, Pascual was diagnosed with stage 4 mediastinal paraganglioma, a rare form of cancer that spread to his lungs and bones, leaving him with a five-year survival estimate, according to his doctor. He had previously been diagnosed with brain tumor in 2007, but they were able to surgically remove it.

Pascual, who has participated in Ironman triathlons since 1999, says “Good morning America“It was definitely harder to train” for October’s World Championships because of his symptoms, which include shortness of breath and chronic pain.

“If I run too fast or too hard, my heart rate will skyrocket and I will become dizzy and even faint,” he said.

According to the National Cancer InstituteParaganglioma “is a type of neuroendocrine tumor that forms near certain blood vessels and nerves outside the adrenal glands.”

“Paraganglioma is rare and it is estimated that only 2 people in every million people have paraganglioma. It is most commonly found in people aged 30 to 50 years,” the agency states.

While paragangliomas are rare and can occur in many places in the body, “mediastinal paragangliomas are even rarer…and represent less than 0.3% of mediastinal masses,” according to investigation published in the journal Medicine (Baltimore), available at the National Library of Medicine.

According StatisticsPearlsan online library published at the National Library of Medicine, the mediastinum “is a central compartment in the thoracic cavity between the pleural sacs of the lungs.”

For Pascual, the hardest part of the test was the 2.4-mile swim. He explained that the tumor affected blood flow due to being in a prone position, causing severe breathing difficulties.

“There were times when I had to roll over to catch my breath,” he recalled.

He noted that his participation in the Ironman championship represents not only a personal achievement but also a tribute to other cancer patients, and then added that reaching the finish line was a moment he had long imagined, saying: “I have played it in.” My mind (like) a movie for so long.”

Based on his career, Pascual offered advice to those facing their own difficulties, encouraging them to “never be afraid to ask for help” and added that he is where he is today thanks to the support he received.

He said he also likes to remind people of the importance of being a good influence on others.

“It’s so important that you can be a good friend, the best teammate, the best son or daughter and be the nicest person in the room,” he said. “Be a force for good so you can impact other people’s lives.”