10/01/2025
One in a Million: UC San Diego Alum Runs the Chicago Marathon 25 Months After Acoustic Neuroma Surgery
"On October 13, 2024, I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. For me, it wasn’t just about running 26.2 miles; it was the fulfillment of a lifelong goal, one I wasn’t sure I’d ever get the chance to achieve.
Marathons have always fascinated me. They’re a test of physical endurance, mental toughness, and human resilience. Statistically, only about 1 in 100,000 people will ever run a marathon. Coincidentally, about 1 in 100,000 people are diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, a rare benign brain tumor. I had both realities intersect in my life. Running the Chicago Marathon after surviving acoustic neuroma surgery felt like the universe’s way of making me “one in a million.”
On September 13, 2022, I underwent surgery at UC San Diego Health to remove my acoustic neuroma. My surgeons, Dr. Rick Friedman and Dr. Marc Schwartz gave me not just their expertise but also the confidence that I could come out the other side of this diagnosis with my life and my dreams still intact. The tumor left me with permanent single-sided deafness and challenges with balance, and in those first days post-op, running wasn’t even on the horizon. Standing for the first time was an achievement. Taking my first steps was a milestone. Each moment was about learning how to live again in a new body with new limitations. But through it all, the idea of running the Chicago Marathon never left me. It was more than a race. It was a symbol of possibility. Many people told me I shouldn’t even think about running a marathon after brain surgery. That doubt only fueled my determination.
Training was grueling. My hearing loss made running near traffic and in unfamiliar areas difficult, even dangerous. I had to adapt where and how I trained, staying alert in ways most runners don’t have to think about. The long runs tested more than just endurance; they tested patience, resilience, and the ability to quiet the doubts that crept in.
Still, every mile felt like progress. Each step forward reminded me of how far I’d come—from the uncertainty of waking up after surgery, to the shaky first steps in recovery, to the moment I laced up for my first tentative run again.
Crossing the finish line in Chicago was a wave of emotions all at once: joy, gratitude, disbelief, pride. In that moment, I carried with me not only the 26.2 miles of the marathon, but also the 25 months of recovery, determination, and perseverance that had led me there.
Running the Chicago Marathon was never just about checking a box on a bucket list. It was about reclaiming a dream and proving, to myself most of all, that life after a brain tumor could still hold extraordinary possibilities.
I may be just one person but having both run a marathon and lived through acoustic neuroma surgery, I can say this with certainty: sometimes being “one in a million” isn’t just a statistic. It’s a story of resilience. And I am deeply grateful to UC San Diego Health and to Dr. Friedman and Dr. Schwartz for making that story possible."
Thank you, Dr. Sharma, for sharing your incredible recovery story with us!
"I was diagnosed with a brain tumor...and I took that personally"
