JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Thousands of dollars -- and counting -- to fight pancreatic cancer was raised on Saturday in Jacksonville.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s PurpleStride took place Saturday with events all over the country, including at Jacksonville’s Jessie Ball duPont Park.
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Action News Jax First Alert Weather Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh was the emcee for the local event.
So far, $150,000 and counting has been raised by the Jacksonville event, Buresh said.
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Funds raised at the PurpleStride Event will go towards high-priority research areas for this disease; some of these areas include identifying biomarkers for early detection, developing drugs that target specific gene mutations, understanding how the tumor microenvironment alters drug delivery, and harnessing the immune system for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
The American Cancer Society says as of 2026, pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers in the U.S. and about 8% of all cancer deaths.
The disease hits close to home for Mike, which is why he has been actively involved in the PurpleStride event in Jacksonville.
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Mike’s mom was diagnosed with the deadliest cancer in the world in 2007. Mike chronicled his mother’s very graceful battle for the nine months she fought the disease in “A Very Personal Journey: My Mom’s Fight Against Terminal Cancer.”
Not a day goes by when Mike does not think about his mom – a Jacksonville star in her own right, as she starred in several local CBS47 and FOX30 promotions with Mike.
Donations toward the PurpleStride will be accepted until June 30. You can click here to donate to the Jacksonville event.
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