This Cancer Survivor Ran A Marathon Dressed As Cinderella For The Best Reason

Runners generally look for the latest in performance gear when they're gearing up for a marathon, but for Katy Miles, a Cinderella dress was all she wanted to put on. According to Cosmopolitan, Miles ran wearing the fairy-tale ballgown because it had a deeper meaning.

At age 4, Miles was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Even though doctors dismissed her symptoms as constipation, her mother, Louise, insisted that doctors look deeper into her daughter's condition.

"I just had a feeling that something else was wrong and kept going back [to the doctor] until she was sent for a scan," Louise told U.K. charity Teenage Cancer Trust. "I can remember looking on the screen, seeing a huge tumor, and knowing this was serious."

During her 10 months of chemotherapy sessions, Katy said that her mother would reward her with princess ballgowns if she took her bitter-tasting medication without protest. Eventually, Katy would wear the Cinderella gowns to the treatment sessions, so it seems she managed to endure the treatments with a royal, princess-like demeanor. Now, with 12 years in remission, Katy is celebrating by participating in a half marathon and taking her glam getup with her.

As soon as she hit 17, Katy signed up for the Great North Run, a half-marathon that takes place near her oncologist's office, which she still visits for checkups. Using her dress and notoriety, Katy raised about $1,629 for the Teenage Cancer Trust and even had a Cinderella moment of her own during the race.

"After running I was completely shattered," Katy wrote in a celebratory blog post published on the Teenage Cancer Trust's website. "But I really enjoyed it [...] I nearly lost my shoe, just like Cinderella, at mile three, when my lace came undone, but managed to keep it on."

Katy plans on participating in the race — and raising more money for the charity — next year, though she's not sure if she'll reuse her Cinderella costume or opt for a different Disney princess. Whatever she decides, she'll be a winner for people battling cancer and survivors everywhere.