Battling And Beating Cancer, One Mile At A Time

Frank Noll may be one of the most physically active and motivated neighbors we know. He has been a competitive runner, cyclist, duathlete, and triathlete for the past 40 years.

The statistics are astounding: 400 races with 150 age group podium finishes, 19 marathons, including both the New York City and Boston Marathons — with a personal best time of 2 hours 46 minutes. And his cycling resume is just as impressive.

Noll is also known for some major career shifts. For 10 years, he was a Vice President at Chase, but then switched his career when he was 40. For 19 years, he worked at the Department of Education as a physical therapist, working with kindergarten through 5th graders at PS 10.

Noll may be an accomplished athlete and educator, but neither could prepare him for a diagnosis of stage 3B lung cancer. He never smoked a cigarette a day in his life.

But there is very good news. Last February, Noll was told he was in remission. And that remains the case. Noll will be running and is currently fundraising for the 2nd Annual Lung Cancer 5K Run/Walk and 1/2-Mile Walk that takes place at Cadman Plaza Park this Sunday, October 25.

We had a chance to learn about Noll’s background, his journey through his lung cancer, his favorite running routes in the neighborhood, and of course, his passion for Free To Breathe.

KBK: Thanks for talking with us. We’re always excited to meet a Brooklyn native. Where have you lived in the borough?

Frank Noll: I spent my early childhood in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. I attended Bishop Loughlin High School in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn and attended Baruch College and New York University for graduate school. I lived in Park Slope for 25 years and have been a homeowner in Windsor Terrace for the past 12 years.

It sounds like you’ve received some amazing health news recently. Can you tell us a bit about your last doctor’s visit and what you learned?

Last February, the day after my 63rd birthday, and two months after completing treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for advanced lung cancer, my thoracic oncologist told me that my cancer was in remission, also called NED for “no evidence of disease.”

Given that the survival statistics for my 3B stage of cancer are very disheartening (8% 5 year survival) I felt very blessed. (I happen to be a practicing Roman Catholic). My oncologist told me that the recurrence and metastasis rate for lung cancer is high so I will get scanned every three months for the next several years, but given my “robust health,” as he described it, he is very optimistic.

I have had two scans — one in May and my last one in August — and results continue to be excellent.

We’re so happy to hear that. Would you tell us how you learned about being diagnosed with lung cancer?

I learned about my cancer when I took a fall while riding my bicycle in the Pocono’s Labor Day weekend 2014. I received a CAT scan at Geissenger Hospital in Scranton to check for any broken bones. Luckily nothing was broken but the scan revealed an unrelated mass in my lung.

After several weeks of further testing and a biopsy I can still vividly recall when the doctor walked into the exam room and said, “Frank, it is very serious. You have advanced lung cancer. It is not rescectable (operable) but we can treat it with radiation and chemotherapy.” My response was “Whoa! how can that be? I have no symptoms, feel well and probably can outrun/outbike many 25 year olds!”

It’s shocking that you were diagnosed with lung cancer without ever smoking a cigarette.

I am a non-smoker but did grow up in a smoking household as a child (both of my parents were heavy smokers), but that was not uncommon in my generation. The term second hand smoke was not heard of in the 1950s–early 60s.

While my doctor told me that childhood second hand smoke is a risk factor for lung cancer, they do not know if that had any specific role in my developing lung cancer. Nor to my knowledge have I ever been exposed to any toxic chemicals or materials in my work or living environment that are known to be related to lung cancer.

Have you met others who have also had this experience?

I have met other cancer patients at a lung cancer support group that I attend at Sloan Kettering who never smoked, had no symptoms, and developed lung cancer. Unfortunately, several of them were stage 4 when diagnosed, so for me, my bike fall was a blessing!

How long have you been running for? And what type of running do you do — long distance, short runs, or a combination of both?

I ran track and cross country in high school and took up running again in 1976 after watching the New York City Marathon. Over the years I have run 5K through marathon distances. I have been a member of the Prospect Park Track Club since 1979.

I added cycling in the early 1980s and linked up with cyclists’ racing in Prospect Park. I specialize in a type of bicycle race called time trial racing, competing in the State and US National Championships. I also began racing in duathlons (run/bike events) and triathlons and have done about 60 over the years.

Tell us about some of the important goals you’d like to accomplish with the upcoming Free To Breath event.

My goals for the upcoming Free to Breathe event is to raise funds. Last year I raised $1,800 and have raised $1,400 so far for this year’s event.

I also want to raise awareness among my friends and community about lung cancer and the need to increase funding for research. Lung cancer receives less funding for research than most other forms of cancer even though many more people are diagnosed with lung cancer. Increased funding correlates to increased survival.

I also want to share hope with other lung cancer patients given my positive health status results.

Have you set some new personal running goals for yourself?

After receiving my lung cancer diagnosis, and at that time doubting and worrying if I would be able to do running of ANY kind one year later (and really doubting if I would be surviving one year later), my personal goal now is just to keep running…one day at a time!

Do you ever run in the neighborhood? Perhaps you can tell us about your favorite routes?

I have run and biked literally thousands of miles in and around Brooklyn. Some routes include the perimeter of Greenwood Cemetery, Ocean Parkway to and from Brighton Beach/Coney Island, Brooklyn Heights, Cadman Plaza Park, and over the Brooklyn Bridge. But my all time favorite route is Prospect Park, both the road loop and various routes on the paths and trails throughout the park.

The Free to Breathe Brooklyn/NYC 5K/Half-mile Walk takes place this Saturday, October 25 in Cadman Plaza Park (Cadman Plaza East between BQE and Tillary Street). You can learn more about the event here. The registration form is available here.

And if you see Frank, make sure to shake his hand.