Cancer Survivor Runs Reykjavík Marathon to Support Center That Aided Her and Mother

Brynja Einarsdóttir is preparing to participate in the upcoming Reykjavík Marathon, running the 10-kilometer race to support Ljósið, a vital resource center. Ljósið has provided crucial assistance to both Brynja and her mother, Ásta Halldórsdóttir, following their cancer diagnoses last year.

Brynja was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer in early September. She recently completed a 24-week chemotherapy regimen in mid-March and underwent a mastectomy in mid-April. Her mother, Ásta, was diagnosed with mycosis fungoides in January of last year and subsequently with Sézary syndrome, a rare form of skin and blood cancer, in March of this year. Both mother and daughter have utilized the services offered by Ljósið.

Brynja describes the support center's work as more extensive than many realize. She is running to give back and to draw further attention to the important work Ljósið undertakes. This is not her first time running for the organization; in 2018, she and her sisters ran to support the center and their late mother-in-law, who was battling the same disease.

Reflecting on her own diagnosis just before her 39th birthday, Brynja found a lump on August 13th of the previous year. She immediately suspected cancer. "I was somehow absolutely sure that it was cancer," she recalls. She initially kept her fears to herself but eventually shared them with her husband upon his return from a fishing trip. Brynja emphasizes the invaluable support she received from her sisters, particularly her nurse sister, and other loved ones throughout her treatment. She adopted a "Pollyanna" approach, focusing on the positive aspects and re-evaluating life priorities.