Community Member-Led Event
I am so excited to share that I will be running the 2027 Tokyo Marathon in honor of my dad, Thom Beal, supporting the Glioblastoma Research Organization!
As many of you know, my dad passed away on December 13th, 2024, just two months after being diagnosed with Glioblastoma. His passing fundamentally changed me as a person and left me with the urge to take action, spread awareness, honor his life and memory, and fundraise toward a cure.
When I learned of his diagnosis, all I felt was immediate dread and fear. Every day felt like a living nightmare, grappling with his pain and watching him suffer. Anyone who has faced this disease or loves someone who has truly understands how devastating it is. Glioblastoma attacks everything we normally take for granted: the ability to speak, walk, be independent, and feel hopeful about the future. There is no cure. Treatments focus on removing or shrinking the tumor to reduce symptoms, but they have not proven successful in achieving long-term survival. Most patients survive an average of 12 to 18 months after diagnosis.
The Glioblastoma Research Organization exists to change that. The GBMRO has raised over $5 million in recent years and has partnered with GBM-related projects around the globe, supporting the doctors, researchers, and hospitals working tirelessly to find a cure and improve the lives of patients living with this disease. The GBMRO also connects people all over the world who are suffering from Glioblastoma or have been touched by it. I have been fortunate enough to meet some incredible people through the organization who have made me feel so much less alone in a loss that is still very heavy to carry. Hearing these stories reminds me that so many people are experiencing or have experienced exactly what my dad went through, and it affirms my belief that no one should ever have to face this alone.
My dad's strength throughout his entire life, and especially in his final moments battling Glioblastoma, is what keeps me going. In 2014, my dad began a battle for his life against brain and lung cancer. He endured radiation therapy, surgery to remove two-thirds of his right lung, and years of chemotherapy—determined to watch me grow up. He was the definition of a fighter. In the spring of 2023, after nearly a decade of illness, he was declared cancer-free. He was well aware of Glioblastoma and what that would mean for him and our family, which made his sudden diagnosis even more heartbreaking.
Even when he was in immense pain, he put others first and was committed to not giving up. This attitude has carried me through my last two years of college and pushed me to strive for more. I am constantly inspired by his resilience and the love he had for our family and the world around him. He was a true Renaissance man who loved learning, traveling, and giving to others in his own unique way. I know that every day for the rest of my life will feel a little different without him here, but participating in initiatives like this brings me hope and reminds me that we do have some power over this terrible disease. Together, we can make a real difference and fight so that no one else has to suffer the way he did.
Being open about my grief and channeling it into something meaningful has been one of the most healing things I have done, and I hope you will join me in supporting the countless others impacted by Glioblastoma as I run 26.2 miles through Tokyo for my dad. Every dollar donated goes directly toward cutting-edge research, clinical trials, and the pursuit of a cure. No matter the amount, your contribution is making a real impact and means more to me than I can express.
I am especially thrilled to run this particular marathon because of my dad's deep connection to Asia, where he lived and traveled for 12 years. He always spoke so fondly of his adventures and the people he met along the way. I hope to carry a piece of that with me as I run through a city he truly loved, and feel closer to him and a cure with every mile. I hope you will consider donating to this worthy cause, and I am so grateful for your love and support.
🩶 Julia Beal-Diaz