When Isabella Wolff lined up at the start of the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1st, it was more than just the months of training motivating her to race to the finish line. She was also carrying the stories of patients and families who she credits as the driving inspiration behind her role at Weill Cornell Medicine.
As a clinical research assistant in the Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) Meyer Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office, Isabella has spent the past year supporting multiple myeloma research efforts. At the WCM Myeloma Center, she supports clinical trial operations, where she has gained a unique perspective on the experiences of people living with cancer. Working closely with teams advancing myeloma research has given her a firsthand view into the journey and dedication of both patients and clinicians, and those experiences have left a lasting impression.
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that affects the plasma cells in the body. Cancerous plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow and crowd out normal antibodies that help your body fight infections. Approximately 36,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with myeloma in 2026, making it a rare form of cancer with an average lifetime risk of less than 1%. Despite it being more rare than other forms of cancer, myeloma can affect the blood, bones, and other organs, leading to problems throughout the entire body.
"I found myself really moved by what patients living with myeloma and their families go through," she said. "Their resilience, optimism and willingness to participate in research are incredibly inspiring."
She credits this as the motivation to take on her biggest running challenge yet: the 26.2-mile New York City Marathon where she ran to raise money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) in support of these patients.
Running has been a part of Isabella’s life since high school. What began as a way to stay active eventually became an activity she enjoyed, fueled by the challenge of longer distances and the opportunity to connect with new people and places. After completing multiple half marathons, she decided it was time to challenge herself to take on an even longer distance.
Isabella presenting her final research project from the WCM-SRF program.
For Isabella, the marathon also represents a meaningful connection to New York City and Weill Cornell Medicine. As an undergraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, Isabella participated in the Weill Cornell Medicine Summer Research Fellowship (WCM-SRF), an experience that confirmed her interest in pursuing a career in medicine. That Fellowship program was the impetus to return to New York after graduation to join the Cancer Clinical Trials Office full-time.
As marathon training intensified, those experiences remained top of mind.
"There are days when training was hard," Isabella said. "But thinking about what patients face every day really puts things into perspective and kept me motivated."
After months of careful preparation, including gradually building her mileage and balancing strength training with recovery, she tackled longer runs in preparation for race day. This preparation ultimately led her to accomplishing her feat of running the 50th New York City Marathon.
For Isabella, crossing that finish line extended beyond the already impressive feat of tackling 26.2 miles. It was a testament to the perseverance, community and patients whose strength continues to inspire her every day.