ROBIN ROBERTS: As a cancer
survivor -- though I prefer
the word, "thriver" --
you're often given the gift
of a new perspective on life.
And sometimes, you also find
a new purpose -- helping others
fight the many battles that come
with trying to stay alive.
This is a story about compassion
and the healing power of giving
back, in our special series,
"The Cutting Edge of Cancer."
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Keep going.
Just like that, keep going.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Donna Deegan
is always running.
Nearly every morning, you'll
find her on the sands
of Jacksonville Beach, often
alongside her husband, Tim.
DONNA DEEGAN: I think it is
the fact that you only depend
on yourself.
You're actually going someplace.
You start at point A. You end up
at point B, however far down
the road you want to go.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Donna's journey
has been far from a simple trip
from point A to point B. Rather,
it's an incredible story of one
cancer survivor paying it
forward that began 15 years ago.
She was an anchor
for the Jacksonville local news
when, like so many other women,
she got the horrible news:
breast cancer.
DONNA DEEGAN: And it was tough.
I mean, there were days that I
would literally sit there
with a trash can next to me
on the set
and have to puke
in commercial breaks.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Her station
manager suggested she start
a blog detailing her experience.
And the reaction surprised her.
DONNA DEEGAN: And this thread
that kept coming through all
of those responses,
or many of those responses,
was I don't have insurance.
I don't have a family system
like you do.
I don't have a good job.
I'm frightened.
I can't buy my drugs
and put food on the table
for my kids.
And I thought, that is crazy
because here I was really trying
to keep my head above water
in this horrible situation,
and I had all those things.
I had a great job,
a great support system.
And I just thought, wow,
that shouldn't be the case.
ROBIN ROBERTS: She decided to do
something about it
and formed The Donna Foundation,
dedicated to helping women pay
for their critical needs
while they were going
through treatment, women
like Michele Morin.
MICHELE MORIN: You're fighting
for your life.
You don't know what's going
to happen.
You don't know if you can even
get another job to help you pay
for those bills.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Days
before a key surgery, too
weak to work,
Michele and her daughter facing
foreclosure, Michele received
a phone call from the surgeon's
office.
They needed an $800 payment
by Monday or the surgery
was off.
MICHELE MORIN: I was literally
begging her, begging
for my life.
There's no other way of putting
this.
It was begging for my life.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Michele's surgery
was a success.
And now, her cancer
is in remission.
With Donna's foundation
successfully helping others,
Donna had a bigger vision.
She envisioned
a massive money-raising event.
Donna envisioned a marathon.
DONNA DEAGAN: It was very
symbolic for me.
I think that running is
an incredible metaphor for going
through something like cancer.
It's going to be
difficult at times,
and yet, somehow you push
through that.
And if you do, and you get
yourself to the finish line,
there's incredible joy
and accomplishment
and self-worth that comes
from that.
ROBIN ROBERTS: That was 10 years
ago.
The marathon has grown
dramatically.
It has raised over $5 million.
And her foundation has now
helped over 10,000 women.
DONNA DEAGAN: There's just been
enormous love surrounding all
of it.
I can feel it.
I feel all those angels
around me of all the people
that I know are rooting for us
all.