At SOMD Knockout Zone in Dunkirk, Maryland, the energy is palpable: the sound of gloves hitting bags, the rhythm of feet moving across the floor, and the hum of determination fill the space. But for coaches Leigh Willhide and Eron Whitehurst, the gym is more than a place to train: it’s a platform to fight back against pancreatic cancer.
Leigh’s father and Eron’s mother both passed away from this devastating disease, and that shared loss inspired them to create their own Push Pull for Pancreatic Cancer event through Project Purple. What started as a way to honor those closest to them has turned their gym into a space where the community can come together, sweat, share stories, and punch out pancreatic cancer.
Where the Fight Began
The idea for a Push Pull event at SOMD Knockout Zone grew from a personal loss that neither Leigh nor Eron could ignore: the death of a parent to pancreatic cancer. For Leigh, it was her father, who passed 14 years ago, and for Eron, it was his mother, who passed this year. Their shared experiences with grief and a desire to do more inspired them to take action.
Leigh first encountered a Push Pull event while attending a CrossFit gym around the time her father passed. Participating a few times, she was struck by how the community came together for a cause and the lasting impact it had on everyone involved.
Two years ago, she opened her own boxing gym, but it wasn’t until Eron’s mother passed from pancreatic cancer that the timing felt right to host their own similar event. As Leigh and Eron recall, they thought to themselves, “This is the time,” and just like that, the event was born.
When Leigh and Eron shared the idea of hosting the event at their gym, the response was incredible. Their community immediately rallied around Project Purple’s mission to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer, eager to help in any way they could. “They did a lot. A lot of people contributed,” Leigh recalls.
While the turnout was already phenomenal, what stood out even more was how many participants had a personal connection to pancreatic cancer. “At the beginning, we asked if anyone had a loved one or friend who had passed from pancreatic cancer, and a handful of people raised their hands,” Eron recalls.
And for Leigh, seeing the community come together was just as powerful. “We heard so many stories from people who had similar experiences with family members that we’d never known about,” she adds. “It definitely brought us closer together. We already had a close-knit group, but this made our community even stronger.”
Seeing how many lives pancreatic cancer has touched made them feel both humbled and motivated. “Being able to share a bit, and even though it’s pain and suffering, it’s the human condition to be able to share that with other people and let their voices be heard too,” Eron says.
Having just lost his mother, Eron credits Leigh for taking the lead and helping him bring a deeply heartfelt dedication to the event. “Having somebody so close and watching them go through a year-long battle when there was nothing that could really be done,” he reflects, “there’s not a lot you can do.”
But with Leigh’s guidance, this event gave Eron a way to act, turning grief into purpose, not just through a workout, but as a way to honor their loved ones and share their stories.
Personal Battles: Stories of Strength
While many people involved in the Push Pull event had been touched by pancreatic cancer, the heart of the day was shaped by the deeply personal journeys of two loved ones: Robert Willhide and Cindy Whitehurst. Their stories gave the event a personal touch, reminding everyone why it mattered.
Fourteen years ago, Leigh lost her father, Robert, and though his fight was on the shorter side, its impact on Leigh and her family was profound. Robert was “a big guy,” as Leigh describes, not just physically, but in presence. He had a big personality, a big voice, and a big heart, but also a rare ability to connect with anyone he met. “He could make friends with anybody,” Leigh remembers. “He would talk to anyone he saw.”
As the only daughter among four brothers, Leigh shared a uniquely close bond with her father. Their relationship was filled with everyday rituals, from special shopping trips to silly notes and daily phone calls on the drive home from work. Those small moments became the memories she holds onto most.
Years later, pancreatic cancer would strike again, but this time in a different way. When Eron’s mother, Cindy, was diagnosed last year, Leigh recognized the same fear and helplessness that she had felt years before. Cindy moved in with Leigh and Eron and lived with them through a year-long course of treatment, allowing them to witness the reality of pancreatic cancer up close.
Despite the diagnosis moving from Stage 2 to Stage 3, Cindy never stopped fighting. Strong-willed and determined, echoing her military background, she faced the disease with resilience, even as the path forward became increasingly narrow. Cindy passed away on March 15th, 2025, but her impact did not end there.
From Plan to Punch
Behind the scenes, the event came together through careful planning and collaboration. With support from the Project Purple team, Leign and Eron worked to adapt the original Push Pull program to fit their gym and fitness atmosphere.
The original workout plan included running, a staple of the Push Pull program. But SOMD Knockout Zone is a barefoot gym, which meant pavement miles weren’t an option. After some thought, Leigh and Eron landed on the next best thing for the cardio part: jump rope. It delivered the same cardiovascular demand without sacrificing safety, or intensity.
As Eron put it, it was “the right amount of stress… my calves still hurt!” Even as participants pushed through the workout and grumbled like they always do, there was a shared sense of joy and purpose in the room and their hearts.
The workout itself reflected the heart of Push Pull philosophy. Pulling movements showed up in rows, kettlebell work, and deadlifts, while pushing took shape through push-ups on the rig and floor-based strength exercises. TRX movements were incorporated alongside traditional push-ups, creating a workout that challenged participants at every level while staying true to the event’s purpose.
But what stood out most wasn’t just the structure of the workout, but who showed up to do it. Leigh’s brother, who does not box, came alongside his wife, a CrossFit athlete, and their eight-year-old son, who eagerly took photos throughout the day. It was one of many moments that captured the spirit of the event, and as Leigh puts it, “It’s cool to see people that are out of their comfort zones just trying to help and make a difference.”
For Eron, the Push Pull hit close to home. “I didn’t fully understand what Leigh had gone through until this year. I teared up during the workout, remembering my mom’s struggle,” he says. “But it also made me feel hopeful, seeing a group of people willing to do something to fight this deadly disease together.”
Carrying Their Spirits Forward
As athletes jumped rope, lifted, pushed, and pulled, the workout became a reflection of the people it honored. The perseverance, grit, and willingness to show up, no matter how uncomfortable, mirrored the way Leigh and Eron described their parents’ approaches to life.
Leigh sees her father’s influence woven throughout the event in small, thoughtful ways. Known for his kindhearted nature, Robert believed in showing up for the people you love and holding onto what matters, even when it hurts. That same instinct lives on in Leigh, who periodically gives purple-themed gifts to family members to keep his memory alive.
For Eron, the event felt like a continuation of the values his mother instilled in him. Cindy was someone who gave freely—her time, her care, her energy—to the people around her. “She did truly altruistic things for no other reason other than she wanted to do them,” Eron reflects. “If someone needed food, she would sign them up at a pantry, pick it up, and make sure they had it. I want to be like my mom in that way, to recognize opportunities and act on them.”
But beyond simply honoring their parents, Leigh and Eron hoped the event would leave a lasting impact on participants and the broader community. Both Leigh and Eron admit that before pancreatic cancer touched their own lives, they knew very little about the disease. “I don’t think half the people in this world know what their pancreas does and how critical it is,” Eron says.
That lack of awareness, they’ve learned, is incredibly common, and it’s exactly what events like this aim to change. “I think that my mom would want us to spread awareness about it,” Eron adds, “and help other people when they do get sick with it.”
And with this event, they did exactly that. “I personally hope that every time someone thinks of purple, they think of pancreatic cancer and the struggles people have had with it,” Eron says. “Even a small action, like donating a few dollars when they see Project Purple, helps. It all adds up. The hope is that one day real progress can be made against this disease.”
Looking ahead, Leigh is committed to making the Push Pull a tradition. It was never meant to be a one-time release of emotion; it was meant to really start something. “I hope that we can keep doing this event every year. It was pretty cool,” she says. “We have a platform, a fitness platform, and we know a lot of people in our community that can keep making this happen.”
Inspired by Leigh and Eron’s story? Visit Project Purple’s website to learn how to organize a Push Pull at your gym, or any other fundraising event, and join the movement.
