A Wisconsin doctor is gearing up for the feat of a lifetime in order to spread awareness about the most pervasive cancer impacting young men.

Dr. T. Clark Gamblin, a surgeon in Milwaukee, spoke with Fox News Digital about his upcoming participation in the World Marathon Challenge. The competition involves running seven marathons on seven continents – seven days in a row. 

The first marathon will take place in Antarctica on Jan. 31, 2025. From there, Gamblin and other participants will travel to Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; and Dubai, UAE. 

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From there, Gamblin will jet to Madrid, Spain, and Fortaleza, Brazil, before running a final race in Miami. He and his fellow marathon runners will have logged 183 miles over the course of a week.

The fast-paced nature of the competition means that it won’t exactly be a relaxing vacation for the participants.

“Over the course of the seven days, we’ll spend about 60 hours on the plane,” Gamblin said. “So it’s running, and it’s plane, and it’s running, and then it’s plane.”

“If you’re prepared and you train correctly, it’s not some Herculean feat.”

While it may seem physically impossible for a human to run seven marathons in seven consecutive days, the World Marathon Challenge has taken runners across the world for nearly a decade. Gamblin began training for the race a year ago.

“It’s a physical challenge, there’s no doubt about it, but there are much more physically demanding things that people have done,” he said. “If you’re prepared and you train correctly, it’s not some Herculean feat.”

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Gamblin has a whole team behind him. The World Marathon Challenge organization handles the logistics of all participants’ flights and hotels. A cancer surgeon, Gamblin also enlisted the help of a dietitian at his hospital to help him meet his protein and fluid goals.

He also has a physical trainer to help with injury prevention — but the person who has helped Gamblin the most, he said, is his wife.

Dr. T. Clark Gamblin spoke to Fox News Digital about his participation in the World Marathon Challenge. (Fox News Digital / Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)

“She’s like my No. 1 cheerleader,” Gamblin said. “She’s not a big runner, but she’s a huge part of helping me get ready for this and preparing me for it.”

“But then right behind her would be my running coach, a dietitian and a physical therapist. So it does take a team to get ready for something like this.”

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Gamblin, who specializes in liver and bile duct cancer, became interested in running marathons as a medical school student. During the World Marathon Challenge, he will be running for the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation. 

The cause is near to his heart, as Gamblin is a cancer survivor himself – he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2018 after noticing a lump.

Gamblin has been working with a dietitian and a physical trainer to prepare for the seven-day marathon challenge. (Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)

“I thought it was probably nothing, but I was really diligent about it and checked it out very quickly and discovered it was testicular cancer,” he explained. “And testicular cancer is the No. 1 cancer that affects males aged 15 to 45.”

One out of every 250 men will develop testicular cancer in their lifetime, according to the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation.

“I went from being a cancer surgeon and giving all this advice, to having to take the advice I had been giving and apply it in my own life,” Gamblin noted. 

“The most intriguing one is the Antarctica race … it’s going to be such a unique environment and climate to run in.”

After going through chemotherapy and two operations, he has now been cancer-free for four years.

Gamblin’s desire to spread awareness has fueled the long and arduous training he has gone through to prepare for the 168-hour-long feat. 

Despite the challenges, he said he looks forward to the simple pleasures of the race, such as getting to know his fellow runners.

Gamblin will run a marathon on every continent, including Antarctica, starting in January. (Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)

“It’ll be such a unique group of people, too,” he said. “I’m prepared to make some lifetime friendships and hear other people’s stories.”

Gamblin is documenting his marathon journey through his Instagram account, @tclarkgamblin. He’s most excited about running through Antarctica.

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“So few people have run marathons there,” he said. “It’s going to be such a unique environment and climate to run in.”

In Miami, Gamblin will get to see his family at the finish line.

Gamblin said that he hopes his story encourages others to achieve their potential. (Jan Gamblin, Ph.D)

“I think that far too often, we don’t set our goals high enough in life,” the doctor said. “We don’t risk enough …This is a risk, it is a reach for me.”

The doctor said he aims to inspire other people to also set their sights higher than they normally would.

“Your body will in many cases do what the mind tells it to do,” Gamblin added. 

“And so I think we can challenge ourselves and push ourselves far beyond … the limits that we set.”

Excess fat has been linked to many health conditions, even some that impact the brain.

In the latest Alzheimer’s research, hidden fat in certain parts of the body was shown to be an early warning sign of the most common dementia — as much as 20 years prior to symptoms emerging.

The study findings were presented this week at the annual Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting in Chicago.

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“Among different body compartments, higher visceral or hidden belly fat is the most important predictor of whole-brain amyloid and early tau protein accumulation,” lead study author Mahsa Dolatshahi, M.D., post-doctoral research associate at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at the Washington University School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital. 

The researchers studied different kinds of body tissues — including subcutaneous fat, liver fat and thigh fat — but visceral fat was the “most powerful predictor of the obesity-related Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathologies,” Dolatshahi noted. 

“The other types of fat did not show any associations with AD pathologies.”

In the study, researchers assessed 80 middle-aged adults (averaging 49 years old) who did not have any cognitive impairment, according to a press release.

“Visceral fat was the most powerful predictor of obesity-related Alzheimer’s pathologies.”

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Just over half of the people were categorized as obese. 

The average body mass index (BMI) was 32.31, with anything over 30 falling into the obesity category.

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The researchers assessed the potential connection between signs of Alzheimer’s disease and controllable lifestyle factors, including obesity, metabolic health and BMI.

Tests included brain scans, body MRIs, cholesterol panels, and measurements of blood glucose and insulin levels.

Insulin resistance and lower HDL cholesterol were associated with high amyloid in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.  (iStock)

Beyond just measuring BMI, the study used MRI technology to look closer at body fat and better determine its relationship to Alzheimer’s, the release noted.

“We investigated the association of BMI, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, liver fat fraction, thigh fat and muscle, as well as insulin resistance and HDL (good cholesterol), with amyloid and tau deposition in Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dolatshahi.

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An additional finding was that higher insulin resistance and lower HDL were associated with high amyloid in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. 

“A key implication of our work is that managing Alzheimer’s risk in obesity will need to involve targeting the related metabolic and lipid issues that often arise with higher body fat,” said senior study author Cyrus A. Raji, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of radiology at MIR, in the release.

Beyond just measuring BMI, the study used MRI technology to look closer at body fat and better determine its relationship to Alzheimer’s. (iStock)

In a separate study that is also being presented this week, the same research team investigated how obesity and belly fat can impair blood flow to the brain.

Three out of four Americans are overweight or obese, the researchers noted.

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Meanwhile, approximately 6.9 million Americans, aged 65 and older, have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a number that has been predicted to reach 13 million by 2050.

“The good news is these risk factors can be lowered with a healthy lifestyle and routine exercise.”

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Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, was not involved in the study but commented on the results.

“We have known for some time the dangers of visceral fat on various organs of the body, likely from its facilitation of inflammatory changes — and it’s no different in the brain,” he told Fox News Digital. 

What stuck out most to Murray was how early in life the changes are noted in the brain.

“The good news is these risk factors can be lowered with a healthy lifestyle and routine exercise,” he said. 

The popularity of GLP-1 medications for diabetes and obesity “will most certainly be studied” in this context as well, Murray added. 

Making healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life, experts say. (iStock)

“This study also shows the importance of physicians and insurance companies focusing on prevention and the long-term benefits of modifying risk factors at an early age, as opposed to waiting for patients to develop symptoms.”

The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

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“One is the cross-sectional design of the study, which does not allow us to understand whether the individuals with excess visceral fat and amyloid and tau pathologies will develop cognitive impairment and symptomatic AD,” Dolatshahi told Fox News Digital. 

“Also, the sample size for this study is limited to 80 individuals, and we need more studies to understand the role of different kinds of body adiposity in Alzheimer’s disease using PET scans.” 

As twins and best friends, Natalie and Monica Rex had spent their entire lives together — and were looking forward to continuing those shared experiences into adulthood.

But right before college graduation eight years ago, the twins — now 30 — were shocked to discover that Natalie has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a rare, genetic and usually fatal neurological disease that affects only 6,000 people in the U.S.

The sisters joined Fox News Digital for an on-camera interview about how the little-known disease has changed their lives — and further strengthened their unbreakable bond. (See the video at the top of this article.)

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Natalie was nearing the end of her senior year in college when she started noticing symptoms — primarily issues with her balance.

“I was doing a 5K with my college roommates, and I was just feeling super awkward and clumsy — I would hit about three miles and feel really tired,” she told Fox News Digital.

That was abnormal for Natalie, who grew up playing sports in a very athletic family.

“I knew something was off,” she said.

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After seeing multiple doctors, having her blood drawn and getting tested for vitamin deficiencies, Natalie finally saw a neurologist.

“He had seen FA before, which was such a gift, because normally the path to diagnosis — particularly for a rare disease — is much longer, and mine was a very short time frame,” she added.

The diagnosis was a lot to process for Natalie, who was three days from graduation and about to depart for a new job in New York.

“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t imagine what life would be without Natalie.’”

“I was trying to figure out how to get excited about life when I was experiencing everything crumbling,” she said.

“I was an emotional wreck — my whole family had never heard of FA, and we had no idea what to expect and how it would impact things.”

The twins, now age 30, were about to graduate from college when Natalie received her diagnosis. (Natalie and Monica Rex)

Monica also had a difficult time processing the news.

“It felt like our lives were going to be drastically different and also diverge quite a bit,” she told Fox News Digital during the same interview.

“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t imagine what life would be without Natalie.’ It was a brutal time.”

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Monica has not yet gotten tested for FA, which she said was an “intentional decision.”

“In the beginning, there would be moments where I would trip on something and would wonder if I should get tested,” she said. “But after seeing some of Natalie’s progression, I don’t think that I have FA.”

She added, “If I do have it, we’ll find out when we need to — but there’s no need to expedite that.”

What to know about FA

Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is defined as a “genetic, progressive neuromuscular disease,” according to the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance.

Initial symptoms include balance and coordination problems, which ultimately lead to a loss of mobility.

“It felt like our lives were going to be drastically different and also diverge quite a bit,” Monica (left), the twin who does not have FA, told Fox News Digital. (Natalie and Monica Rex)

Some people with FA also suffer from diabetes, scoliosis, fatigue, slurred speech, heart conditions, and vision and hearing impairment, the Alliance states.

As FA is genetic, a diagnosis is made by testing for a mutation in the gene FXN, which is responsible for causing the disease.

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Most people are diagnosed in childhood between 5 and 15 years of age, according to the Alliance, but about a quarter of people experience symptoms as adults, which is known as late-onset FA.

The disease is classified as “life-shortening,” with life expectancy typically ranging from 37 to 50 years.

“It’s brutal to watch the person you love most in the world go through something they can’t control.”

While there is not yet a cure for FA, there are medications that can help control symptoms.

Natalie has participated in clinical trials for a drug called Skyclarys (omaveloxolone), the first FDA-approved therapy designed to slow progression of the disease.

Sisterly support

After Natalie’s diagnosis, she and her twin sister moved in together in Washington, D.C.

“Monica has taken on the role of being sister, friend, roommate and caregiver,” Natalie said. 

“She wanted to stay close to help us live a very celebratory life while I’m in my more mobile years.”

“I think it’s really drawn us very close, which has been amazing,” Natalie (right) said of the twins’ experience of navigating life with FA. (Natalie and Monica Rex)

In many ways, the sisters enjoy life as they always have, hosting dinners and movie nights with friends — but in other ways, Natalie’s disease has resulted in two very different experiences for the twins.

“I think it’s really drawn us very close, which has been amazing,” Natalie said. 

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“But it’s also created a lot of moments where we have to understand that our limits and our constraints are different, and we have to work together to give each other the freedom to do things differently.”

Monica expressed her pride in her sister’s determination and tenacity as she navigates FA, including taking “agency and ownership” of her health and participating in physical therapy and personal training.

As Christians, the sisters have drawn comfort and support from their faith as they navigate the challenges of Natalie’s disease. (Natalie and Monica Rex)

“It is an incredibly unfair situation, but she is completely taking it in stride,” Monica said. 

“It’s brutal to watch the person you love most in the world go through something they can’t control that impacts every day and every moment — but we’ve just tried to take it day by day together.”

The sisters see their friendship and relationship as a “unique gift,” Monica added.

“There have been moments of tension as we figure out what it looks like to navigate this together — but we will always be there for each other, and we’ll always have each other’s backs,” she added.

“At the end of the day, we truly just want what’s best for each other.”

Leaning on faith

As Christians, the sisters have drawn comfort and support from their faith as they navigate the challenges of Natalie’s disease.

“I lean heavily into my faith to understand and process the purpose and hope that can come from a hopeless diagnosis like FA,” Natalie told Fox News Digital.

“The physical decline of Natalie’s body is a daily reminder that this world is not our home — and that one day, all things, including our bodies, will be made whole and healthy in eternity,” said Monica. (Natalie Rex)

One of Natalie’s favorite Bible verses is 2 Corinthians 4:16, which says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Monica added that she trusts God has a “bigger plan” for their pain. 

“We’re going to have really hard moments, but we’re doing our best to make good things come from something hard.”

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“The physical decline of Natalie’s body is a daily reminder that this world is not our home — and that one day, all things, including our bodies, will be made whole and healthy in eternity,” she said.

Despite her day-to-day struggles, Natalie strives to stay as positive as possible, focusing on “disrupting the myth that that joy can only be found in a pain-free life.”

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“Life is not going to be perfect, but we can still make it really good,” she said. 

“We’re going to have really hard moments, but we’re doing our best to make good things come from something hard.”