We're delighted to announce that Sarah Sleva, an athlete, endometriosis patient, and Team EndoStrong runner, has been selected for New York Road Runners' 2026 Team Inspire, a group of 26 marathoners with especially transformative stories, each representing one mile of the 26.2-mile course. On November 1, Sarah will run her first marathon alongside a record 70 Team EndoStrong runners, who are raising more than $400,000 for endometriosis awareness, education, and research as EndoFound returns as an official charity partner of the race. Endometriosis affects an estimated 200 million people worldwide, yet symptoms are still routinely dismissed, and many people wait years for a diagnosis. Below, Sarah shares her journey—why she’s running the TCS NYC marathon, how she was diagnosed with stage IV endometriosis, and why awareness can make such a difference.
As an endurance athlete and an endo warrior, I could not be more excited to run my first marathon at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon with Team Inspire and Team EndoStrong.
For me, this race is about so much more than running 26.2 miles. It represents a journey I never expected to take, one filled with uncertainty, two major surgeries, setbacks, learning to listen to my body, and ultimately finding my way back to the sport I enjoy.
I was diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis in 2024 after years of painful and mysterious symptoms. I was incredibly fortunate to find Dr. Nicole Donnellan, who listened to me from day one, walked me through my options, and empowered me to make decisions about my own care. Fun fact: I met Dr. Donnellan for the first time on November 1, 2024, exactly two years before I’ll cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon.
My road to diagnosis and treatment was anything but straightforward. Before surgery, I was prescribed birth control to manage my pain, but my body reacted severely, affecting my liver and ultimately leading to the discovery of a hyperkinetic gallbladder that needed to be removed. What was initially expected to be laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis became a much more complicated journey. My first surgery focused on removing my gallbladder while my medical team and I took the time to understand the extent of the endometriosis and determine the best path forward.
In December 2025, I underwent a second major surgery, a total hysterectomy and bowel resection to remove the endometriosis. Recovery has continued well beyond the operating room, and I’m still navigating the physical changes and side effects that came with surgery and surgical menopause.
There were moments when I genuinely wondered whether my endurance sports journey was over. After two DNFs in trail races because of symptoms I didn’t yet understand, I thought maybe that chapter of my life had come to an end. Instead, I adapted.
Working with my pelvic floor physical therapist I completely changed the way I approach training. I learned to listen to my body in a way I never had before. Some days that meant pushing forward. Other days it meant resting and recognizing that rest is part of strength. Recovery has looked different, too, whether that meant time in an infrared sauna, acupuncture, physical therapy, or simply giving myself permission to slow down.
I am not only running the NYC Marathon with Team EndoStrong, but also Team Inspire. A team of 26 runners selected to represent the New York Road Runners. It is an opportunity to take everything I’ve been through and turn it into something bigger than myself, to raise awareness about endometriosis, support advocacy and research, and help other people feel less alone in their own journeys.
Through Team EndoStrong, I’m raising more than $6,000 for the Endometriosis Foundation of America, an organization working to increase awareness, support research, improve education, and advocate for people living with endometriosis. Endometriosis affects an estimated 200 million people worldwide, yet it remains widely misunderstood, with symptoms often dismissed or misdiagnosed and many people waiting years for an accurate diagnosis.
Running the NYC Marathon is my way of giving back and of showing fellow endo warriors that a diagnosis does not have to define our limits.
I’m especially excited that this will be my first marathon and that it will take place during the 50th anniversary of the iconic five-borough race. Running through all five boroughs will feel like a celebration of every challenge, surgery, setback, adaptation, and comeback that brought me to that starting line. Every mile will carry a piece of that journey.
And hopefully, every step will inspire someone else to keep moving forward.
Please consider supporting the Endometriosis Foundation of America by making a donation through my page. The process is fast, easy, and secure. Thank you so much for your support and feel free to share this page with anyone who may want to support this cause!
