Running for “Popi”: The AACR’s Youngest Runner for Research

Over the past four decades, Daneen Marchiano’s family has provided her neighborhood with authentic Italian specialty breads and tomato pie. She is the general manager of Marchiano’s Bakery in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia. The family-run bakery has been in business since 1984.

In recent years the Marchiano family has been repeatedly touched by cancer. Daneen’s mother, Kathy, is a lung cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 1996. In 2012, Daneen was devastated to learn that her father, Frank Marchiano Sr., was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. Frank has been fighting it ever since. Her sister-in-law’s mother was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in 2019, and sadly, lost her fight in early August of 2020.

Daneen felt compelled to make a difference in the fight against cancer and joined the AACR Runners for Research team in 2018. Her nephew, Jace, who was only three years old at the time, also joined the team and ran the Dunkin’ Munchkin Kids Fun Run in honor of Frank, his beloved “Popi”—becoming the youngest participant on the AACR Runners for Research team.

Jace then joined Daneen for the Dietz & Watson Half Marathon event with the AACR Runners for Research team in 2019. It was Daneen’s second time running that race. She raised $1,300 dollars and Jace raised $1,100 running the 2019 Dunkin’ Munchkin Kids Fun Run.

“Jace and I really do run with a passion for my dad, though we’ve seen how [cancer] affected our whole family,” Daneen said. “It’s different when you run for a purpose.”

Today Jace is five, but even at that young age he understands why they are running. Daneen describes him as wise beyond his years. “He understands that Popi is sick, and we run for cancer research in honor of my dad,” she explained. “He doesn’t want people to be sick.”

Though the 2020 Philadelphia Marathon weekend was cancelled this year, Jace and Daneen are still fundraising—and plan to run in 2021. “We want to make sure no daughter and grandchild feel the way we feel,” Daneen said.