Hailing from the sunny coast of Orange County, California, Hannah Steffenino and Dani Guglielmo are friends and former coworkers. But now, they are teammates in a mission far greater than themselves.
This May, they’ll line up for the 2026 OC Half Marathon, carrying with them a bond strengthened through their respective losses of loved ones to pancreatic cancer. Running together as ‘Betsey’s Battalion,’ named in honor of Hannah’s mother who passed from pancreatic cancer in 2025, they are also dedicating their race to Dani’s aunt and godmother, Sandra, who passed from the disease just a few months later.
For this duo, both of their first organized races are more than a personal, mental, and physical challenge. It is a tribute to their connection renewed through shared loss, all while raising awareness and funds for Project Purple to help create a world where no one else has to face pancreatic cancer.
You can be part of their journey by supporting the Betsey’s Battalion fundraising page and helping fund critical pancreatic cancer research.
Shared Loss, Shared Strength
The friendship between Dani Guglielmo and Hannah Steffenino deepened in the wake of two unimaginable losses. In June 2024, Hannah’s mother, Betsey, a hospice nurse known for her warmth, positivity, and unwavering care for others, was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Being in the medical field, Betsey understood the gravity of her diagnosis, yet she fought with remarkable strength—for her entire family, especially her husband, Chris; her four daughters, Melissa, Rebecca, Madison, and Hannah; and her three grandchildren, who were her entire world. She underwent chemotherapy for thirteen months, enduring the physical and emotional toll that came with it. When the treatments ultimately became too intensive to continue, she made the decision to stop, and she passed away on August 12, 2025.
Just two months after Betsey’s diagnosis, Dani’s aunt and godmother, Sandra, received the same devastating news: Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Having retired to a ranch, it was difficult for Sandra to step back from her daily routines, caring for her animals and the land, but she remained a fighter.
She was not eligible for surgery, yet bravely underwent chemotherapy and, like Betsey, fought for her family. Importantly, she lived long enough to meet her newest granddaughter, a milestone that meant a great deal to her. She passed just three months after Betsey, coincidentally having been diagnosed a similar amount of time apart and passed just as closely together.
With their loved ones facing pancreatic cancer around the same time, Hannah and Dani found a unique opportunity for connection. They set up a group chat linking the four of them, wanting to create a space where Sandra and Betsey could talk to someone who truly understood what they were going through. Though they never met in person, they spoke on the phone, serving as “sounding boards for each other.”
This unusual coincidence of both of their loved ones facing pancreatic cancer at the same time gave Hannah and Dani a firsthand look at the disease’s reach. As Hannah reflects, “You don’t really know anyone who has it, and then all of a sudden you start to meet people who tell you they had a loved one with it.”
Already close friends, Hannah and Dani fully understood what the other was going through, providing a profound support system. And they found that experiencing such similar losses with their families was a sign they could not ignore.
Taking the Leap Together
In November, just months after the passing of her mother, Hannah participated in Project Purple’s Turkey Trot, eager to get involved in raising awareness for pancreatic cancer. After doing it, she thought to herself, “I can do three miles, what else can I do?” And while scrolling through Instagram, she saw Project Purple again, and an idea struck her: she could run her first organized race for the organization.
She quickly made up her mind when she saw that they were part of the OC Races. “The idea just literally popped up into my head, and I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to jump on this before I don’t!’” Hannah recalls. But she knew she couldn’t do it alone, especially for her first organized race.
Hannah thought to herself, Who can I ask to do this with me?, and Dani immediately came to mind. With her athletic background and adventurous spirit, Dani was a natural choice, but the main reason was personal: having just lost her aunt to the same disease, she could truly relate. And Dani didn’t hesitate to say yes, texting back, “Count me in.”
And though both Hannah and Dani had never run an organized race before, they were no strangers to athletics. Dani grew up playing sports her whole life and even played Division I collegiate basketball. After graduation, the shift from structured team sports to no organized activity was stark, so she stayed active by exploring various fitness pursuits.
Hannah, similarly, has been involved in athletics her entire life, with soccer as her sport of choice. While she has always enjoyed training and staying active, running was never her strong suit, just as it wasn’t for Dani. They both loved sports, but long-distance running was not something either had naturally gravitated toward.
Dani recalls that during basketball training, running was either a punishment for mistakes or something that always felt forced. She remembers associating it with doing something for some external reason, feeling like she was only doing it because someone was making her.
However, for six months before Hannah reached out, Dani had been toying with the idea of getting into running, thinking it could be a fun way to meet people and do something different since she was no longer part of a team. She even considered running a half marathon, but it was one of those things she kept putting off. But when Hannah reached out of the blue and asked her to run together, Dani thought, “Well, clearly this is meant to be.”
Challenging the Body, Healing the Heart
Now, the two are approaching running with fresh perspectives. “I think this is helping me remember that I’m choosing to run, and I actually like it,” Dani shares. “I’m relearning that I can enjoy these things—nobody is forcing me. It’s nice to get that autonomy back!” And for Hannah, getting into running, something she never particularly enjoyed before, was an opportunity to try something new, a hobby she could make her own.
“I wanted to challenge myself,” Hannah says, and running the OC Half is exactly that. Eager for a new challenge but wanting to start small, they chose the OC Half Marathon for its local, scenic course. “For our first one, I just thought, ‘Let’s do something close to home!’” she adds.
All in all, they both credit these athletic backgrounds for making this possible. “I think that’s what’s carrying us through this adventure,” Dani says. “We are both used to working out, and we both like structure and something to work towards.” But besides that, it is the meaning behind the 13 miles that makes them push through their past distaste for the act of running.
When Hannah told her therapist she was planning to run the half, her therapist pointed out an unexpected connection—Hannah’s mom did chemo for 13 months, and the half is 13 miles. Hannah was stunned by the coincidence, and it solidified her commitment: “Now, every time I’m running a mile and struggling, I tell myself, ‘Okay, my mom went through chemo—I got this!’” Dani echoes this sentiment, saying whenever she feels gassed on a run, she thinks to herself, this is better than chemo.
Physically, running has been transformative for the duo. “I never regret a workout,” Dani says. “It’s always nice to just get outside and go on a run.” Hannah adds, “You hear people talk about runners’ highs, and they’re right. You do feel really good after workouts!”
But beyond the physical gains, running has also become a powerful mental and emotional outlet. Both Hannah and Dani are therapists—in fact, that’s how they met, working together at the same practice. Supporting others is central to their professional lives, but their runs offer something different: space to process their own thoughts and simply be present with one another.
“When I’m running with Hannah, we talk about what’s good, bad, and indifferent in our lives, what’s hurting right now, but also what’s going well. I’m not thinking about anything other than whatever we are talking about, and I’m just in that moment,” Dani says. Hannah echoes this sentiment, adding, “Once you’re accomplishing something with someone else, it’s a great way of bonding with each other, and it holds you accountable!”
Internally, this shared rhythm has become its own kind of therapy: a space where they find themselves on the other side of the table. Running has not only helped them grow closer and stay connected amid their busy lives, but it has also been a powerful boost for their own mental and emotional well-being. “My brain tends to go a million miles an hour,” Dani laughs, “so I have noticed myself being more present with running.”
Hannah sees the whole process as a personal challenge. “It’s literally me against my body,” she explains. “I have to keep telling myself, ‘Your mind is going to give up before your body does, so you have to keep going.’ But it’s that mental state, and how good you feel during and after, that makes it so rewarding.”
She recalls a recent run at sunset, reminded of the saying, “Sunrises and sunsets look so much better knowing somebody up there is painting it for you.” As the sky glowed, she thought, “My mom is painting this perfect picture for me.” Even while struggling on her run, that thought kept her moving forward, perfectly capturing the mental challenge and resilience that running demands.
A Tribute in Name and Spirit
On those training runs, Hannah and Dani are constantly reminded of why they chose “Betsey’s Battalion” as their team name. It’s a reflection of who their loved ones were as people.
Betsey was a bright light, figuratively and literally. She had a way of making everyone feel instantly comfortable the moment they walked into a room, and her love of bright, cheerful colored clothing reflected that warmth. So much so that for her celebration of life, Hannah’s family asked attendees to forgo traditional black and instead wear the vibrant hues that Betsey was known for.
Reflective of her work as a hospice nurse, Betsey was endlessly caring and wore her heart on her sleeve. At her celebration of life, people shared countless stories and memories of Betsey, including families of patients she had cared for as a hospice nurse. “It was such a powerful testament to the kind of person she was,” Hannah says. “She always tried to be really happy.”
Like Betsey, Sandra shared a similarly big heart. “She was such a warm and kindhearted person,” Dani says. “There are a lot of kind people out there, but she was just a really good soul—empathetic and always showing up for others. She would give you the shirt off her back.” Dani recalls one time mentioning in passing that she wanted a new hat, and months later, her aunt surprised her with a hand-knitted beanie made from the sheep’s wool on her ranch.
Sandra was also a fighter, steadfast in everything she believed in. “She was such a strong person,” Dani adds. This became especially apparent in the wake of her diagnosis, just as Betsey had been a fighter in her own way. When Hannah was brainstorming a name for their team, she turned to her husband for ideas. “I was like, ‘What’s a cool name that I can use as a team name?’” she recalls. Kyle suggested something with a military feel, which ultimately inspired the title.
It was perfect. Betsey never complained once during her diagnosis, much like a soldier approaching a mission with unwavering focus and determination. Hannah reflects, “She worked as long as she could until she physically couldn’t anymore. I think that strength, of never complaining and just pushing through, was remarkable.”
The name speaks for itself. “People like my mom and Aunt Sandra—and anyone battling cancer, especially those going through chemo—are incredible fighters,” Hannah says. “Seeing my mom go through cancer and Dani witnessing her aunt struggle, made me realize that ‘Battalion’ hits the nail on the head. We’re running for them and for all the people who can’t.”
Running With Heart and Honor
When race day comes, Hannah and Dani are not just carrying a newfound love for running; they’re carrying the memories, strength, and spirit of Betsey and Sandra with every step. For Hannah, it’s her mom’s positivity that she carries with her: learning not to take life too seriously and to simply soak in the sunshine. “I get my gratitude from her, and I think, ‘I get to do this; this isn’t something I have to do.’ That’s how I think my mom would approach it,” she says.
Dani carries her aunt’s hard work and appreciation for life with her to the starting line. “She showed up fully for every experience, enjoying the moment for what it was,” she shares. “She inspires me to be my authentic self and to truly enjoy the moment.”
But they are also carried by the bond that has deepened through this entire experience. Neither of them had the chance to meet the loved ones they are running for in person. “It’s a way to bring us closer,” Dani reflects. “It’s not only bonding me with Hannah, but also feeling like I’m getting to know her mom, hearing stories about her, and imagining her looking over us on our runs.”
Just thinking about their loved ones who have passed will keep them going. “My mom wasn’t an athlete at all,” Hannah laughs. “She’d probably say, ‘You girls are nuts for running!’—but she would also be our biggest supporter. I picture her waiting for me at the finish line, and I know I’ll experience a whirlwind of emotions, both happy and sad tears.”
Putting themselves in the moment of crossing the finish line is an emotional experience. Their families will be on the sidelines cheering them on, but that inspiration goes both ways; Hannah’s family members are eager to join their own Project Purple events, and donations have reconnected classmates and old friends who hadn’t spoken in years.
But both of them truly credit their loved ones for the strength that carried them through—running became a way to keep those they’ve lost alive in their hearts. “Obviously, we’re the ones running,” Dani says, “but it takes a lot for us to get there.”
To support Hannah and Dani’s run in honor of their loved ones and to help raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, donate to their fundraising pages here.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
