Running has not only given Gloucester resident Stacey Stanforth a new body, but it’s also given her a new outlook on life.

A year ago, Stanforth weighed 243 pounds, wore a size 18, couldn’t run for four minutes at a time and didn’t have any particular cause she was fighting for. Today, she weighs 143, wears a size 6 to 8, runs half-marathons, and is dedicated to eradicating leukemia and lymphoma.

"I looked at myself one day and said ‘what am I doing,’" she said. "I had three kids and I wanted to be around for them."

An emergency room nurse, Stanforth said her job is all about health, and she realized "I can’t tell people to put down the doughnuts and exercise for diabetes if I’m overweight and sitting on the couch."

Stanforth went to Weight Watchers to work on portion control with her food, but she went a crucial step further and began walking. She determinedly walked the 5K trail at Beaverdam Park four t...