Participation Over Perfection: Leanna Scaglione's Journey of Resilience, Running, and Redefining What's Possible
What do you do when life doesn't go as planned—and your dreams are rewritten by a diagnosis?
In this inspiring episode, Christy sits down with Leanna Scaglione, marathon runner, rare disease advocate, and unstoppable force, as she shares her powerful journey living with NF2-related schwannomatosis, a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors along the nervous system.
Diagnosed at 16 while training to become a professional ballerina, Leanna's life took an unexpected turn—marked by nerve damage, multiple spinal surgeries, and a season spent in a wheelchair. But that was just the beginning of her story.
Join Christy and Leanna as they explore:
How Leanna found her strength through running—despite being told it might never be possible
The mental and emotional journey of navigating grief, uncertainty, and physical pain
How the pandemic led to a turning point—and the first steps (literally) of a marathon journey
What connecting with the Children's Tumor Foundation meant for her purpose and community
Her audacious goal to become the first person with NF2 to complete all six World Major Marathons
Why perfection isn't the goal—and how showing up, at your own pace, is the real victory
Whether you're facing a personal setback, living with a diagnosis, or just in need of a reminder that resilience is built one step at a time, this episode will leave you moved, motivated, and inspired to keep going.
For more on Leanna's journey, follow her on Instagram @leanna_runningNF2.
To learn more about NF2 and how to support rare disease research, visit ctf.org — the Children's Tumor Foundation.
🎧 For more information about this episode, visit christypennison.com.
