When third-year medical student Shay Nakahira lines up at the starting line of the Boston Marathon next month, she’ll bring with her months of training and the inspiration of running for her classmate and friend, Dylan Lawton.
The two met before they even began classes at JABSOM, at a 2022 beach potluck organized for incoming students. What started as a casual introduction quickly grew into a friendship strengthened through the shared challenges of medical school.
“We had a little beach potluck, and that’s where I met Shay and a lot of our classmates,” Dylan recalled. “It was a really great day.”
Like many in their class, the two bonded over the long hours and demands that come with becoming a physician. Running also acted as a shared outlet.
“I’ve always really enjoyed running,” he said. “It’s a really good de-stressor for me throughout medical school.”
But last year, Dylan received life-changing news. He was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic EGFR-positive lung adenocarcinoma. This is the most common cancer in non-tobacco-smoking individuals. The diagnosis came after Lawton had already planned to run a marathon himself.
“I actually signed up for a marathon last December before I got diagnosed,” he said. “I was training, and obviously I couldn’t do it.”
Around the same time, Shay had qualified for one of the most prestigious races in the world, the Boston Marathon. When she learned about Dylan’s diagnosis, the meaning behind her run began to change.
“I had already qualified before I knew about Dylan’s diagnosis,” Nakahira said. “But when we heard about it, I started thinking about how I could use the race to do something meaningful.”
She decided to turn the marathon into a fundraiser supporting lung cancer research, with many donations directed toward research focused on EGFR-positive lung cancer. To date, more than $17,000 has been contributed to Shay’s run.
“I was just shocked,” Dylan said. “I wasn’t expecting that at all. I texted Shay like, ‘What’s happening? Why are people donating?”
The fundraiser went viral as classmates, friends and supporters rallied around the effort.
“We in no way, shape, or form expected the response,” Shay said. “Seeing everyone rally together for this cause and to support Dylan has been really incredible.”
Dylan wants to make it very clear that all the proceeds from this fundraiser go toward research.
“Thankfully, all of my healthcare is free via Medicaid because I’m a student,” he said.
Nevertheless, Dylan is amazed by the response and said the gesture reflects the close-knit nature of his JABSOM class and the community in general.
“Everyone has been really supportive,” he said. “Shay was supportive even before the fundraiser. I’m very appreciative of that. No one has ever done anything like this for me.”
That sense of community has been one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.
“When I got diagnosed, I was very open about it,” he said. “But the amount of support I’ve received from my classmates and friends has meant the world to me. I’m very shocked and very humbled.”
As Shay continues training for Boston, she says her friend remains on her mind during every run.
“Even when I’m training right now, I’m thinking about Dylan,” she said. “That’s what keeps me going.”
When race day arrives on April 20, Nakahira will be running one of the most iconic marathons, but when she crosses the finish line on Boylston Street, she says it represents something bigger than a personal feat.
“It’s a chance to support a friend and to help push forward research that could benefit countless others,” Shay said.
“It means the world,” said Dylan. “I just hope it helps bring attention to lung cancer research.”
To support Shay’s run and to learn more about Dylan’s story,
please click here.
