Project Purple is heading across the pond for the 2024 London Marathon! Not only is this race an Abbott World Marathon Major, it is also one of the most exclusive but highest-energy races on the list! We can’t wait to bring our London run team to this incredible marathon for the fourth year in a row.
London’s Calling
Part of what makes this race so special is its incredible course, which takes runners through the heart of the city. Starting in Blackheath, athletes will pass several of London’s most famous landmarks, including the Shard, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, the Palace of Westminster, and Buckingham Palace.
This race, along with the city itself, has a rich history, making the London Marathon one of the most iconic marathons in the world. We cannot wait to see everyone in England!
WHY Run London
All of our runners have their own unique WHYs that push them to keep running and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Here are some powerful WHYs from our London team.
Sheng Huang
Sheng Huang picked up running to push himself out of his comfort zone. Now, after eight years with the sport, he’s completed several marathons, including some of the Abbott World Majors. Shend is getting ready to run yet another race, but this time, he’s running for something bigger than himself.
Sherrill Dale, one of Huang’s co-workers and close friends, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023. She courageously kept up with her job while still undergoing treatment for the disease. After learning about her diagnosis, Sheng wanted to do his part to help support his friend and colleague in her battle, deciding that the best way to aid her in her journey was by using his favorite sport to help fellow pancreatic cancer patients who are struggling with this disease. Sadly, however, Sherrill Dale passed away this year. Now, Sheng will not only be running to support pancreatic cancer patients, but to honor the memory of his beloved friend.
Thank you so much Sheng– we can’t wait to see you cross that finish line in London! To learn more about Sheng’s WHY, please click here to read the blog. If you are interested in supporting Sheng on his journey to London, please click here.
Jeremy Miller
Project Purple has partnered with Jeremy Miller, a running influencer from Austin, TX, for the 2024 London Marathon! Jeremy has been part of the running community since 2018, and has used his platform to help show other runners how to get into the sport. With Project Purple, Jeremy is excited to get the chance to use his platform to spread awareness about pancreatic cancer.
He feels that part of the power of social media is bringing people together, which is what he hopes to do through this partnership.
“I think one of the most powerful things about content and social media, as bad of a rap as it gets for being negative or people wasting time on it, I think there is a lot of good that can come from social media,” said Jeremy, “and one of the things is awareness for charities like this. I want to create the best high-quality content that we can, providing as much information and knowledge for people, not just about Project Purple but pancreatic cancer.”
Thank you so much Jeremy– we can’t wait to see you cross that finish line in London! To learn more about Jeremy’s WHY, please click here to read the blog! You can also keep up with Miller’s journey to London with Project Purple on his Instagram page. If you are interested in supporting Jeremy on his journey to London, please click here.
Bruce Blumberg
“I’m running the London Marathon in support of Project Purple and to honor my dear friend and an inspirational figure in my life, Tony Rodriguez, who sadly passed away this October from pancreatic cancer.
Tony’s life was too short, but oh my, it was a life well lived, and may we all aspire to live such a life. Tony dedicated his entire post-career life to advocating for immigrants in Massachusetts and at the southern US border. He volunteered extensively with immigration organizations, including the Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice, KIND (Kids in Need of Defense), BIJAN (Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network), the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Immigrant Justice Team, the Immigration Justice Task Force, Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative, Rian Immigrant Center, and others, providing material resources and legal support to innumerable asylum seekers. Tony’s volunteer work changed the course of thousands of lives.”
If you are interested in supporting Bruce on his journey to London, please click here.
Jordan Serati
Jordan Serati learned a lot from her mother, Julie, growing up. She learned kindness and compassion, as well as how to take care of others. However, nothing was as powerful as the lessons Serati took from her mother’s seven-month pancreatic cancer journey. Now, as a surgical ICU nurse, Jordan is using those lessons from her mother every day.
“One thing I know about myself is that I am a really good nurse,” said Serati. “And it’s only because of that situation. I can connect with families really well now…I think it is a huge privilege to know what people need; I can now meet people’s needs better than I could before.”
She also has learned a lot about perseverance and generosity from her mother, a woman who always gave her time to others. Today, she is preparing to run the London Marathon to honor her mother. This race will allow her to carry on her mother’s legacy of generosity and kindness as she fights for a world without pancreatic cancer.
If you are interested in supporting Jordan on her journey to London, please click here.
Aislinn Breslin
“2017 was the first time my family met Pancreatic Cancer when it took the life of my Uncle Steve. His passing left behind his loving wife Annemarie, son Ryan, daughter-in-law Valerie, and two young grandchildren Allison and Ethan. He was ambitious, comical, and had a special zest for life.
Fast forward to August of 2021, when my Mom was diagnosed with this horrific disease after experiencing dull back pain. When my Mom was diagnosed, the prognosis was good. However, the deadliness of this cancer reared its ugly head. My Mom fought bravely for 6 months before being taken from us on 2/13/22 at the age of 61. My Mom left behind a dedicated husband Tom, three daughters Shannon, Aislinn, and Ciara, two sons-in-law Matt and Malcolm, and a brand-new granddaughter Brigid, her first. She was a wonderful wife, Mom, and Nanny.
From the beginning of my running journey, my Mom has always been a cheerleader for me. Making me healthy meals, listening to me talk about my aches and pains, and being supportive every step of the way. It has been a goal of mine to complete the 6 World Marathon Majors for several years now. My Mom was there for 2/6 and was excited to be with me for the remainder. COVID-19 put a halt to our trip to Berlin Germany in 2020 and then again in 2021. Unfortunately, Berlin was the first major I had to do on my own as she did not make it to the Fall of 2022. I am excited to run London 2024 in her memory and in her Honor to keep this ball rolling.”
To support Aislinn on his journey to London, please click here.
Zach Negrin
“In 2011 my Uncle, Doug Pomerantz, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. He was determined to fight it with everything he had, trying new diets, herbs, chemo, and to live a rigidly healthy lifestyle. He had a 5% chance to live, and he survived – doctors were baffled.
Fast forward to January 2016 – my Mother, Ferne Pomerantz, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. She was 52 years old. I was 20 years old at the time of diagnosis and didn’t know how to process this. I convinced myself that she would be just like my Uncle who had survived before. For 8 months, her cancer was improving, and things were looking hopeful. In August of 2016 things began to go downhill – her new chemo wasn’t working and she grew weaker and weaker and reality began to set in.
When I came home from college for Thanksgiving, I knew the end was coming – but my Mom remained strong and courageous. As the Director of Spinal Cord Injury at Helen Hayes Hospital, she still went to work while she was undergoing chemo – committed to making a difference in her patients’ lives. When my Dad asked her if she was afraid to die she responded “No, but I’m afraid for you and the kids.” That’s the type of person she was.
On December 16th, 2016 my Mom lost her battle with Pancreatic Cancer. There was now a giant hole in my life, filled with grief. I realized that the best way for me to keep my Mom’s memory alive was to live my life the way she would want me to, listening to her voice in my head. It is one of the great honors of my life to run a marathon every year in her honor – after all, she was the one who forced me onto the track team in 7th grade.
A month after my Mom passed, my Uncle who was in remission was so overwhelmed by the stress of losing my Mom that his cancer came back. He fought with everything he had but unfortunately, about 15 months later he lost his battle with PC.
They were the pillars of our family and their loss left an emptiness that still hasn’t been filled. We have learned to move forward, coming together, and supporting each other – but the grief never goes away. When you run a Marathon, there often comes a moment when you hit the “wall.” When it hits you have two choices – give up or keep moving until the finish. My family has suffered two “walls” within two years of each other – but we continue to move our feet forward together.
I am running the London Marathon this year with Project Purple – an organization dedicated to supporting patients and funding research for a cure. Every step I take will be in their memory – and I know that they will be smiling down on me.”
If you are interested in supporting Zach on his journey to London, please click here.
Thank You to All Our Runners!
All of our runners on our Project Purple marathon teams have their own reasons for wanting to run each race. Thank you to all our amazing fundraisers for helping us against the fight against pancreatic cancer.
- Ryan Logie: https://donate.projectpurple.org/fundraiser/4807514
- Josh Fiala: https://donate.projectpurple.org/fundraiser/4837971
- Randell Hansen: https://donate.projectpurple.org/fundraiser/4808239
- Charles Walker: https://donate.projectpurple.org/fundraiser/5054253
- Christian Breda: https://donate.projectpurple.org/fundraiser/5054253
We could not be more proud of you and your efforts to help us create a world without pancreatic cancer!
