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Resilience Through Running

Two sisters with ties to Jefferson’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College will tackle the New York City Marathon together.

Sisters Samara and Kiley Hamou pose at Samara’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College graduation in May 2025.

On Nov. 2, sisters Samara and Kiley Hamou will lace up their running shoes to take on the New York City Marathon together. For them, this race serves as a physical challenge and deeply personal mission.

They will run in support of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, a cause that has become incredibly meaningful to them through their shared journey of illness, healing and resilience. Below, the Sidney Kimmel Medical College alumna and student share their experiences in their own words.

I’m Samara Hamou, Sidney Kimmel Medical College Class of 2025 and a resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital/Wills Eye Hospital. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) during my first year of med school.

At first, I brushed off my vague symptoms as nothing more than “medical student syndrome.” After all, many classmates had also started diagnosing themselves with the conditions we were studying; however, it soon became clear I was experiencing something far more serious.

Samara Hamou receives an infusion after a rotation during her fourth year of medical school.

During our gastrointestinal (GI) block of medical school, I started to recognize my symptoms more clearly. I decided to seek care and underwent a colonoscopy, MRI and other diagnostic testing, ultimately receiving a diagnosis of UC—a chronic inflammatory condition of the colon. While the diagnosis brought some clarity, it only marked the beginning of a long and challenging path toward effective treatment.

When establishing care at Jefferson, I reached out to Dr. Stephanie Moleski, a Jefferson gastroenterologist and associate professor who had delivered an impactful lecture and patient panel on inflammatory bowel disease. Over the next year, I dealt with the unpredictable ups and downs of chronic illness, all while trying to keep up with the relentless pace of medical school.

I eventually started a TNF-α blocker at the Jefferson Infusion Center in the Honickman Center, which has tremendously changed the course of my condition. Now, I’m healthy, active and able to focus on caring for patients and personal goals, such as the New York City Marathon.

I’m Kiley, and while my path has differed from Samara’s, I’ve faced my own share of medical hurdles. Before attending Sidney Kimmel Medical College, I was a Division I soccer player at Princeton University; however, just months before college began, I tore my right ACL.

After this injury, I took a gap year during the pandemic to focus on my recovery. I spent that time rehabilitating and working as a tech at the same physical therapy clinic where I was a patient. It became a foundational year that helped me heal and gave me firsthand exposure to clinical care while I worked to return to the field.

I arrived at Princeton ready to compete but tore my other ACL a few games into my freshman season. It was a devastating setback. I took another year to recover and returned to the field my sophomore year.

Kiley Hamou tore her ACL just months before college began.

Although I was playing consistently, more injuries followed, including recurring bilateral shoulder dislocations that eventually required left rotator cuff surgery. Throughout it all, I remained committed to my recovery, team and long-term objectives.

Now as a first-year student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, I’ve brought the same determination to my marathon training and studies. I’m even considering a career in orthopedic surgery, inspired by the countless experiences as a patient.

Training for the New York City Marathon together in Philadelphia has been a powerful journey for both of us. Amid long hospital shifts, lectures and clinical rotations, we’ve managed to carve out time for runs along the Schuylkill River, strength training and fundraising. Our goal is to finish the marathon in under four hours.

Choosing to run for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation felt like the most natural decision. For Samara, it’s a way to give back to a community that supported her during one of the most difficult periods of her life. For me, it’s about helping my sister and contributing to a cause that now feels incredibly close to home.

As we prepare to take on one of the world’s most iconic races, we’re not just logging miles—we’re raising awareness, building community and proving that resilience is something we run toward, not away from.

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