Running has been a part of Leah Stevens’ life for as long as she can remember. It has been a lifelong companion, a private sanctuary, and a way to navigate life’s highs and lows. This upcoming March, however, one of her runs will be unlike any other.
A year after her father, Steve Robbins, died suddenly from pancreatic cancer, Leah will take on the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, South Carolina: a tribute to the man who made her who she is, and a way to turn his love and laughter into something that can help others.
A Lifelong Path Paved in Miles
Leah Stevens discovered running at age 11, and it quickly became woven into her everyday life. Through middle school and high school, she ran competitively, chasing both personal bests and the thrill of the sport. Her love for running didn’t fade in college, where she balanced her studies with recreational runs that kept her grounded amid the busyness of campus life.
Over the years, she’s completed two full marathons and multiple half-marathons, each race reinforcing her belief that running is as much a mental journey as a physical one. “Running has always been a way to clear my head,” Leah explains.
She also credits part of her lifelong love for the sport to its solitude: “It’s a very introverted exercise. I joke that I’m a very well-trained extrovert—I can extrovert really well—but I prefer to do things on my own. Running is kind of an escape for me, and I think that’s a big reason why I’ve enjoyed it my whole life.”
Leah says running has truly been “in her blood” for as long as she can remember, connecting her past, present, and the causes she cares about most. This became apparent when her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, inspiring Leah to participate in numerous races to raise awareness for the disease, honor her mother, and support a cause close to home.
After watching her mother fight and survive ovarian cancer and realizing how her running became a way to support a cause, Leah knew she wanted to do something similar after her father passed from pancreatic cancer: honoring his spirit while navigating the sudden and devastating reality of his passing.
The Heart That Guides Her Steps
Steve Robbins was the kind of person whose love and humor could light up a room. “He was a goofball,” Leah recalls, laughing. “If there was someone who could make you laugh, it was my dad. At his celebration of life, that’s exactly what everyone remembered: his jokes, his laughter, and his constant care for everyone around him.”
Leah knew she could always talk to her dad about anything; he was a constant presence, always there for her and everyone around him. “If I called him at two in the morning, upset about something, he’d answer the phone,” she recalls. “Or if I said, ‘Dad, something is leaking at my house, can you come look at it?’, even at 10 o’clock at night, he’d be there in 10 minutes. I just loved that he was someone you could always depend on, no matter what.”
When she was younger, Leah says she constantly wanted to be near her dad. “The joke when I was little was that I was his little shadow,” she remembers. “I was always with him. If my dad was there, I was two feet behind him, stuck to him like glue. I just wanted to do anything he was doing.”
That closeness lived on in her son, Troy, now ten years old, who shares the same eager curiosity and devotion Leah had toward her father. Leah affectionately calls him “Mini Papa,” noting how he mirrors not only the bond she shared with Steve, but also some of his traits, like being a bit overprotective and taking on “old-man responsibilities.”
“If Papa was going somewhere, Troy wanted to go too,” she says. “It was like watching a piece of my dad live on in my son. It was really special, and I’m so thankful they had that time together. Of course, you always wish it could have been more, but I treasure the moments they did have.”
Leah and her dad shared more than just closeness—they shared a sense of humor and a love of sarcasm, which they fondly called their ‘love language.’ Their dry, playful jokes were often lost on anyone else, but between the two of them, it was how they connected.
“He taught me not to take life too seriously and to make time for fun whenever possible,” Leah reflects. Whether it was a spontaneous dance party with her son before bed or a silly joke in the middle of the day, Steve’s goofiness left a lasting impression. “I could never match his sense of humor or keep up with him half the time, but it was always a joy just having him make me laugh,” she adds.
Family was central to Steve’s life, and those values naturally shaped Leah as well. From humor to compassion, she carries forward the traits that made her dad so unforgettable.
A Sudden Storm, A Sudden Loss
Living in Asheville, North Carolina, Leah and her family were still recovering from the chaos of Hurricane Helene, which hit in late September 2024, when a more personal storm hit. Leah recalls the aftermath: “That whole experience was really overwhelming. We had no power for over a week, couldn’t use water safely, and even basic routines like cooking were disrupted.”
Around this time, Steve began having a constant upset stomach and had lost a lot of weight, but the family just credited that to the stress and anxiety that the storm caused. But as the weeks went on, her father’s symptoms didn’t improve.
Leah and her family urged him to see a doctor, despite his private nature and reluctance toward medical visits. By early January, a CT scan revealed the devastating truth: Steve Robbins had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer that had already spread throughout his abdomen.
The progression was rapid: a mere two months from diagnosis to his passing. “It all happened so quickly,” Leah recalls. When presented with options for chemotherapy, Steve declined, saying that his priority was simply to be comfortable at home, surrounded by his wife and girls.
He passed away at home on March 7th, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of humor, love, and unwavering support that Leah carries with her every day. That encouragement is especially evident when she reflects on her running journey: “My dad was probably my biggest cheerleader.”
She remembers finding a note he had written that said, “I love you very much, miss you so much, tear it up on the track for me.” He’d joke that the only way he’d run was if something was chasing him, and he couldn’t understand how she could run 26 miles when you could just drive it. But he was there for everything, supporting her in ways big and small.
Though he is no longer physically present, Leah finds comfort and strength in these tangible reminders of his love and encouragement: reminders that continue to inspire her every step, especially as she prepares for the Cooper River Bridge Run.
A Race That Honors and Unites
Leah first discovered Project Purple through a Google search, and it immediately sparked an idea. She had participated in the Independence Day Double Mile with her family and friends this past July, her purple dress and nails adding a personal touch, and the experience left her eager to explore other events.
“I was looking at ways to honor my dad and combine that with running,” she explains. “I checked out some of the events, and then this one popped up. I was shocked, I didn’t know I could do that! So here we are.”
Excited by the opportunity and always wanting to run this specific race, Leah signed up for the Cooper River Bridge Run with Project Purple. Charleston held special significance for her family: one of the last big trips she took with her dad included crossing the Cooper River Bridge, exploring Patriots Point, and taking in the views from downtown.
“It’s very special to me because my dad loved that area so much,” she says. With the race scheduled for late March, it will coincide closely with the first anniversary of her father’s passing, the timing impeccable.
Her community has rallied around her in remarkable ways. Leah’s cousin, who runs a t-shirt business, designed a special shirt honoring her dad, who loved Def Leppard, that reads, “Pour Some Purple on November for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness.” All proceeds from the shirts sold to family and friends will be donated to Leah’s run page.
Beyond that, friends and extended family have pitched in, spreading the word, donating, and sharing her page on social media. “It’s bittersweet,” Leah reflects. “I wish it wasn’t the reason I was doing something, but it’s been so comforting to see a community of people who want my dad’s legacy to live on, too.”
Running to Remember
Reflecting on her father’s legacy, Leah emphasizes the importance of carrying his memory forward: “I just don’t ever want his legacy to die. That’s the most important thing: being able to carry on his name and his legacy in a different way.”
She hopes that everyone who hears her story takes away one key lesson: life is too short to wait. “We’ve said this since Dad passed,” she explains, “I hadn’t done a long race or even a half-marathon since shortly after my divorce, and I kept beating myself up over that. But this whole experience has reminded me that life’s too short. Figure out a way to do the things you want, set goals, it doesn’t matter your age—go do it, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. That’s the biggest thing we’ve learned from all of this.”
Her advice for others navigating grief reflects the balance she’s found between faith, community, and self-compassion. “You have to give yourself grace. Grief isn’t perfect,” Leah says. “You’ll have days when you’re frustrated, angry, or sad, and that’s normal. Just take it one day at a time.”
Family and friends are rallying to support Leah on race day, making the experience all the more meaningful. “It’s truly an honor,” she reflects. “The biggest part is just carrying on Dad and his legacy. I just want people to know what an incredible man he really was, so it is so important to me that I get to write his name on my bib.”
Though she wishes it weren’t under such circumstances, Leah has found comfort in knowing that a community of people, especially those who will be cheering her on, also want her dad’s legacy to live on. “That part’s been awesome,” she says.
This has also been a way to not only reflect on her father’s life and cancer journey, but also the broader impact of pancreatic cancer on families like hers. Now, every mile she runs is fueled by a mission to raise awareness and help others recognize warning signs early.
“After my dad passed, we kind of dug in to find a way to spread awareness,” Leah explains. “It’s just not fair that he didn’t realize the symptoms, and neither did we. I don’t want someone else in our family—or anyone we come in contact with—to overlook them. If they can catch it sooner, they have a better chance at living longer than my dad had.”
In the weeks leading up to the run, the anticipation and anxiety are rising, but even before the starting line, the preparation has become its own reward: each run sharpening her focus, testing her limits, and reminding her that every step is part of something bigger than the race itself.
To support Leah’s run in honor of her dad and to help raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, donate to her fundraising page here.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
