When Jonathan Pascual was diagnosed with a rare, untreatable cancer, few would have blamed him for stepping back from competing in triathlons. But for Pascual, that was just a part of who he is.
“That's the way that I have always lived, is to face on the challenge full on,” Pascual said.
For the past 25 years, as a nurse practitioner at the University of California, San Francisco, Pascual had spent much of his career helping others, most recently in the lung transplant team.
But alongside his medical work, Pascual had also been an avid triathlete. Over the years, he competed in dozens of races and ultimately earned a spot at the 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
However, during training, Pascual began to experience troubling symptoms. Even simple tasks left him winded and short of breath.
“I'll go for a mile run and my hands would be on my knees and I'd say, ‘My God, something's wrong,’ ” Pascual said.
Doctors diagnosed him with a rare and aggressive cancer with a five-year life expectancy.
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“There is no cure. In that hospital room, on March 24, 2022, I already made that decision of how I would want to conduct my remaining years,” Pascual said.
He focused on what mattered most by spending time with his wife and son, continuing to work, and staying active.
Even as his condition worsened, Pascual found that walking helped alleviate his symptoms, and he gradually began running again. Then he signed up for a trail run.
“When I finished that run, I was so emotional,” Pascual said.
Pascual set his sights on his long-held dream: competing in the Ironman World Championship. Despite the physical challenges posed by his illness, he pushed himself to train.
The swim portion of the Ironman was particularly scary. Because his cancer, lying flat for long periods, like during the two-hour swim, left him gasping for air.
He almost didn’t make it through the swim, but at a critical moment, Pascual reminded himself why he was there.
“There are people who are fighting out there with their cancer and all their difficulties in life. And they believe in you,” Pascual said. “So, believe in yourself and just dig deep.”
After the swim, the rest of the race felt manageable by comparison. Sixteen hours after crossing the starting line, Pascual finally reached the finish line. Though he didn’t place first, he achieved a victory that was far more meaningful.
“I won in so many different ways,” Pascual said.
