Meighann Recile-Oglesby ran the 2024 SoNo Half Marathon this past October with Project Purple, honoring her late mother’s memory and giving back to a cause close to her heart.
A Bond Like No Other
“She was the type of mom that would do anything for you,” Meighann says. Her mom was “the most docile, sweet, and caring person who would do anything for you. She was the perfect person to talk to; she always gave great advice. It may not be what you wanted to hear, but she always said it in a nice way,” she shares.
Meighann lost her father to cancer when she was just thirteen. From that moment on, she and her mom became inseparable. Their close bond only strengthened as Meighann got older. “She was always behind me,” she says, knowing her mom would support her in any way she could – whether it was offering everyday advice, encouraging her to go to any college she wanted, or finding creative ways for them to spend time together.
“I’m her only child, and I’m a nurse practitioner. She was fifty-five and had just retired. I remember I was doing travel nursing,” Meighann recalls. She had been worried that her work responsibilities would prevent them from seeing each other. But her mom came up with a solution. “She would visit every single state I went to and stay with me,” she says.
Though her mom was eager to start a new chapter of her life in retirement, she was sadly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly after. She battled the disease with admirable grace and strength for two and a half years before passing away in 2011. While it is heartbreaking that they didn’t have more time together, Meighan holds onto the belief: “I always think the reason why she’s not here anymore is because she was a true angel.”
The SoNo Half Marathon
Project Purple was a natural fit for Meighann. “I got involved with Project Purple because I was looking for pancreatic cancer events. I had started running, and I was looking for charity events to participate in. Finding a local charity was perfect,” she says.
The SoNo Half Marathon in Norwalk was her third race with Project Purple. “The SoNo Half was very emotional because it was my first time running with a charity that’s really personal for me,” she says. Meighann recalls the excitement she felt when she received her singlet: “When I received the singlet in the mail, I took a picture and immediately posted it on social media.”
The race, however, was far from easy. Meighann would later discover that she had been running while sick. “The hardest part of the race was between the tenth and eleventh mile. I felt like I hit a wall. I was exhausted. I had used all of my gels. I knew the end was so close, but the mileage at that point was so tough,” she says.
Meighann was determined to finish the race, despite the exhaustion and pain. “I wanted to finish for my mom and for the charity to bring awareness. She was my number one. She’s still my number one,” she says. “And I have an eight-year-old daughter, and I wanted to show her that you can still do things when you get older. Whether it’s running or whatever you decide to do, it doesn’t have to stop after you grow up.”
She channeled her mom’s strength to finish the rest of the race. “I finished the race because my mom was with me,” Meighann shares.
Making Meaningful Connections
Along the way, Meighann made meaningful connections. A fellow runner spotted her Project Purple singlet during the race and found the strength to keep going. Afterward, the runner approached her and said, “I was behind you for the majority of the way, and what kept me going was seeing your bib.” She told Meighann that her father had passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Meighann also met another Project Purple runner, Dr. Johana Oviedo, a pancreatic cancer survivor running the SoNo 5K. Meighann was inspired by her resilience. “It was actually really emotional to meet her. I recognized her because she had the Project Purple singlet on. She said she’s a pancreatic cancer survivor, and that took me back because she looked so great. Pancreatic cancer is so tough, so to see somebody after all the treatments able to run a 5K. And she said she was hoping to do the half next year, was absolutely amazing,” she says.
Project Purple also wrote a story about Dr. Oviedo’s SoNo experience and pancreatic cancer journey in a recent article.
Looking to the Future
“I knew my mom was going to carry me through the race, and she did without a doubt,” says Meighann. She continues to carry her mom’s enduring spirit as she considers her next race. Looking ahead, Meighann has applied for the 2025 Chicago Marathon and the New York City United Half Marathon, and she dreams of running the New York City Marathon one day. Her running future is bright and ambitious, guided by her love for her mom and dedication to a world without pancreatic cancer.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
