It was last year that Tiffany Aukema and her family were preparing for the holidays. Through Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season, she and her family started to take notice of her father, Court Jones, and some of the symptoms that he was experiencing.
“After Thanksgiving, my sister, my mom, and I were [thinking] ‘something’s really wrong,’” Tiffany recalls. “I think he had lost about 25 pounds, maybe 30, from September to Thanksgiving.”
In addition to his weight loss, Tiffany noted that her dad was eating less during his meals and felt almost like he had a belt tightening around his stomach and waist. Concerned, Court went to his doctor who ordered two scans, including a CT scan, which showed a mass on his pancreas.
Ten days before Christmas it was confirmed that Court had pancreatic cancer.
“Thankfully he was diagnosed quickly,” said Tiffany. “But it was over the holidays and I was kind of spiraling. How can this healthy person have this devastating disease? I can’t fight the fight for him, but what can I do?”
Why run the New York City Marathon?
Wanting to join the fight against Pancreatic cancer, Tiffany began researching ways to get involved and found Project Purple.
I can’t describe it. I just immediately was like, I think this is something that I can do and get involved in,” she said. “When I looked at different ways to get involved and I saw a lot of it was running-based. Well, what a perfect way to honor my dad if I could run since he was a runner and got me into running.”
Now a retired FBI agent, Court was first stationed in Manhattan and enjoyed running through the city as his main form of exercise.
Then, as a teen actively involved in sports, he pushed for her to start running as a way to remain active during the off-season. It was during this time that Tiffany developed her own passion for running and continued running through college.
Tiffany then ran the Army Ten-Miler race, which both fueled her passion and confidence for long-distance running. She then put her name in for the NYC Marathon, and ended up getting in!
“That was my first marathon,” Tiffany recalls. “My dad was over the moon about it. We all went up together, and it was an amazing experience.”
After running the NYC Marathon, Tiffany has also run the Richmond Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon. While it was her 4th marathon completed, the 2024 NYC Marathon had a special meaning. Not only was it an exciting return to New York for her family, but she ran in honor of her dad.
“So here I am running a marathon again,” she said. “I’m so happy to be part of the organization, but it is especially meaningful being in New York. […] It was a special time for him and his career, [he enjoyed] running there, and then it being where I finished my first marathon. It’s going to be awesome, and I’m looking forward to it.”
As Tiffany prepared to head to New York for the November 3rd race, she shared that she was excited that her family and friends, including her dad, would be there to support her.
The Road Ahead
After being diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in December 2023, Tiffany’s dad immediately started chemotherapy. By April, and after his 9th round of chemo, he started to feel the effects of his treatment.
To allow his body a chance to heal, the doctors gave Court a several-week break before doing 5 weeks of radiation. With his radiation treatments complete, Court’s doctors had him complete the final 3 rounds of chemo, and he just recently finished.
Recent scans have shown that there have been no new growths on his pancreas and the cancer has not spread!
With that good news, Court’s family remains hopeful for his health and the future, and Tiffany is excited that she gets to share this experience with her dad.
“I’m lucky that my dad got to see this happen versus running in memory of him,” she said. “So this is more an honor and celebration. He texted me constantly like, ‘Oh my God, Tiff, look at your page. Look at your page!’”
For Tiffany, Court, and their family, watching the support they’ve received from their community has been overwhelming. To list just a few people who donated: there were old work colleagues, past New Jersey neighbors, Tiffany’s sister’s soccer coach from growing up, kids that they grew up with, and so many more members of their community.
If you want to make a donation to Tiffany’s run in honor of her father, Court, you can donate on her page here: https://donate.projectpurple.org/fundraiser/5323460
