Massachusetts woman living with painful sickle cell disease aims to inspire at New York City Marathon

Amy Cohen of Lynn will be running in the New York Road Runners New York City Marathon. She's running as a member of "Team Inspire" because of her extraordinary story. Cohen has sickle cell disease, a diagnosis that typically means a lifetime without exercise and a stigma she hopes to end.

As Cohen stretches and runs, her sickle cell is invisible, but intensely painful symptoms are just under the surface. Because of chronic episodes of intense muscle pain called a "crisis," patients are told from childhood not to exert themselves.

What is sickle cell disease?

Sickle cell disease is a rare genetic blood disorder found predominantly in people of African descent.

"My parents are from West Africa," Cohen said. "So their perception of sickle cell is like, 'Oh the kids like, couldn't even go