Duluth runner honors sisters, raises more than $10,000 for cancer charity

Mike McFadden ran Duluth’s half marathon with two losses on his mind and more than $10,000 behind him for pancreatic cancer research. The Jacksonville Beach, Florida, runner set out to raise $7,000 for Project Purple and ended up becoming the charity’s top fundraiser for the race weekend.

McFadden’s effort carried a deep family history. His younger sisters, Kelly and Beth, were diagnosed around the same time, and McFadden said he thought about them throughout training and preparation. Kelly died from lung cancer last August. Beth died from pancreatic cancer two years earlier, giving his race a personal stake that reached beyond the finish line.

For McFadden, the run became a way to turn loss into action. He described the race as a chance to make a real difference while still doing something he loves, and said the challenge of chemotherapy and cancer treatment kept him focused on the goal. The fundraising total, which surpassed $10,000, placed him well above Project Purple’s $1,000 minimum for half-marathon participants.

That fundraising fits squarely into what has become a defining part of marathon weekend in Duluth. Project Purple says the event supports pancreatic cancer research and patient aid, and its mission is to find a cure while improving lives through support, hope and compassion. The group returned to Grandma’s Marathon and the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon for the June 19-21 race weekend in Duluth, a setting that has become as much about charity as competition.

Grandma’s Marathon now marks its 50th anniversary, a milestone for an event that began in 1977 with about 150 participants and has grown into one of the largest marathons in the United States. In that setting, runners like McFadden help show how the race reaches beyond sport, linking local endurance to a broader fight against a deadly disease.

The public-health stakes remain severe. The American Cancer Society estimated that 67,530 people in the United States would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2026, and 52,740 would die from the disease. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network says pancreatic cancer remains the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country, underscoring why McFadden’s miles and donations resonated far beyond the route in Duluth.