For Mike McFadden, grief is all too familiar. The loss of two of his sisters to cancer, along with mourning the death of his parents, left an enduring mark on his life. Rather than allowing those losses to define him, Mike felt compelled to turn his grief into action instead of standing on the sidelines. He recently completed his 6th marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, at the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon.
“I’m looking forward to it, paying homage to them,” Mike said before the race. “They fought the fight—what a marathon, comparatively.”
The first full marathon Mike dedicated to his sisters was at Grandma’s Marathon in 2022, where he partnered with Project Purple to begin a fundraising journey centered on honoring their memory. Although injuries prevented him from tackling the full distance this time, he still took part by running the half marathon while raising over $11,000.
A Survivor’s Journey
Before the cancer diagnosis of his sisters, Mike faced a health battle of his own. In 2008, while Mike was living in Oakland and working in sales for a building materials company, he decided to train for his first marathon. Mike had always been very athletic, swimming throughout high school and college, so wanting to run a marathon wasn’t shocking to his character.
As his training progressed, however, something felt wrong. One day, while training, he was halfway through the full marathon when he had to stop because he began to feel run down, tired, and struggled to understand why his body was doing this. That same week, he experienced bed sweats and thought he was coming down with the flu. But when his temperature spiked to 105 degrees, he knew it was something more serious and went to the hospital.
At the hospital, they found a large lymph node under his arm that popped out so far it resembled a softball, and they were able to diagnose him with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It became stage 4 and metastasized to his bone marrow. He was given a 40% chance. Mike underwent a rough regimen of chemotherapy, and six months later, after four bone marrow biopsies, the last one came back negative.
Mike said, “I swore if I survived, I would go back to college to be a nurse practitioner in oncology or go into oncolytic sales.” He then moved to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, where his sister lived near Mayo Clinic. Mike wanted to be close to a strong medical institution in case his cancer returned; he saw it as a source of reassurance and support. Thankfully, it never did. While he was in Jacksonville, he started his journey trying to pursue a career in medical sales, landing at Merck Oncology.
Five years ago, Mike noticed a sore on his tongue but brushed it off as nothing serious. At a routine dental appointment, however, his dentist recognized that something wasn’t right and encouraged him to get it checked out. Further testing revealed another cancer diagnosis—squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Thankfully, surgeons were able to remove the cancer by excising a portion of his tongue, and he did not need to undergo radiation therapy.
Since then, he has remained cancer-free and has worked for Merck Oncology, selling drugs to fight cancer.
“I love where I’m at, and I feel like I’m almost guiding people, and I can help them at least find the right doctors and answer questions,” Mike says.
Beth and Kelly’s Fight
Mike came from a large Italian and Irish family with four siblings, so when he got the news of his sister’s diagnosis, it was devastating for their whole family. First, four years ago, Beth was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Their whole family was involved in oncology at different levels, so they understood the seriousness of the diagnosis and the difficult road that often came with it.
Despite the uncertainty ahead, Beth approached her diagnosis with determination. “She was a fighter, and she said she was going to fight this,” Mike recalled. Although the cancer was caught early, it spread rapidly. Beth underwent chemotherapy and treatment, fighting for 16 months before sadly passing away.
Just two months after Beth’s diagnosis, Mike’s other sister, Kelly, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. The initial plan was to perform a full hysterectomy with the expectation that she could then move forward with recovery. However, during further scans, doctors discovered a dark spot in her lungs, revealing a second primary cancer. This time, it was lung cancer.
“My two sisters both had the KRAS mutation typical for pancreatic cancer and lung cancer,” says Mike. “They each had three, and two of them lined up.”
Kelly successfully underwent the hysterectomy and soon began treatment for lung cancer. The treatment she underwent took a significant toll on her body, forcing her to pause therapy at times to recover strength. Despite efforts to manage the disease, her lungs continued to worsen.
Fortunately, Kelly worked for a company that produced a medication she was able to take, helping extend her life and giving her a meaningful year in remission. However, the cancer eventually progressed to stage four and metastasized to her brain, and she sadly passed away.
Why Mike Makes His Miles Matter
After experiencing so much pain and loss, Mike knew he had to do something, but struggled with what he could do to make a difference. This was when he found Project Purple and ran Grandma’s Marathon in 2022, honoring both his sisters.
“I felt like this was my only way to contribute, you know,” Mike said. “I didn’t know what else to do, and I needed to do something.”
For Mike, running has always been an outlet for stress and anxiety, and a way for him to get out of his head. He may not be the fastest runner, but that has never mattered to him. He runs for the joy it brings. He said running felt like a new outlet he could focus on in his day-to-day life that could help reel him in.
“When I run, I feel like everything is gonna be alright.”
Through running, Mike also found a strong community in Jacksonville, where he trains for marathons and shares countless miles with friends who have become an important part of his journey. His running group has opened many doors for him socially.
Mike shared, “The level of community that I have been able to collaborate with has been amazing.”
The friends Mike has made throughout his running journey help push him to accomplish all of his goals.
The Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon
Taking on the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon was more than just a race for Mike. It was about honoring both his sisters and knowing they were there with him, together.
Leading up to the race, Mike saw a medium and was able to connect with his sisters, hearing that they saw all he has been doing to fight cancer and honor them, and they would be right there with him while he took on the race.
Training for marathons in Florida is not always easy. The heat and humidity can make preparing for a race especially challenging. But, since this race was in June, Mike was able to fully embrace his training since it occurred in the cooler months.
During training and throughout the race, when the miles got hard, Mike looked within.
“This isn’t nearly as bad as the fight Beth fought for and with full force. It’s just pain.”
That perspective is what carried Mike to the finish line.
Before the race, Mike said, “I’m looking forward to it, you know, paying homage to them. They fought the fight. What’s a marathon, comparatively?”
This race wasn’t just about Mike crossing the finish line; it was about dedicating the race to his sisters and honoring their strength and carrying their memories forward while running for Project Purple.
Looking Forward
The journey Mike has been on with the loss of his parents, two sisters, and his own cancer journey has been nothing short of difficult, but it has also given him a sense of direction.
“I feel like we are put in places for reasons, and it feels like there is something bigger pushing me towards pancreatic cancer and Project Purple,” Mike said.
While working at Merck for the past few years, Mike felt like he had been in a good place, being able to help other people and having resources and professionals behind him who could help. He is now looking forward, upholding the mentality, “What can I do next?”
“I pinch myself every time I go out for a run because at 61, I have the privilege to still get out and run. I’m healthy, and I have to remember that. There are so many people my age with so many issues they can’t even do something like this,” Mike shared.
“That is what gets me through when it gets hard at mile 20, or long runs, or when it’s hot and it’s sweaty. I can do it, you know. I feel privileged that I’m still able to do it.”
The Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon was nowhere near the end of Mike’s journey.
“I feel like I’m scratching the surface right now; there might be something more for me,” Mike stated.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
