Cancer survivor trains for Ironman

NAPERVILLE, Ill -- She has finished 17 marathons and nine super intense Ironman competitions but one Chicago woman's biggest feat has been her fight against cancer.

Kristin McQueen was diagnosed with thyroid cancer 10 years ago.

Treating her cancer has involved 15 surgeries, ten of them on her brain.

Despite her struggles nothing can stop this 34-year-old from fighting back.

She is one of the final contestants competing for a spot at the super elite Ironman competition in Hawaii.

“Ironman gives me complete focus and it also gives me a reason to recover,” said McQueen. “I want to show people that even when life kind of beats you up you still got to keep fighting back.”

The public can help land her a spot on the start line by voting for her contestant video online.

So far she has raised more than $122,000 for the American Cancer Society by racing.