Julie Weiss -- Advocate, author, speaker, philanthropist and athlete Julie Weiss, in 2013, completed her inspiring journey of running 52 marathons in 52 weeks to raise money for the research of pancreatic cancer research, a feat that garnered national media coverage from the Today Show to the Los Angeles Times to O Magazine. Known as the "Marathon Goddess," she has since become a beacon of hope, perseverance, and philanthropy, in the past decade, raising over $1 million and achieving her goal of helping to increase the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer, which has improved for the past two consecutive years.

Julie’s journey started in 2007 when, as an overweight, depressed mother of young children, she took her first run as a lark on an Hawaiin vacation. In 2008 she ran her first marathon.  Just one week after the devastating loss of her father to pancreatic cancer in 2010, she fulfilled their shared dream of qualifying for and running the 2011 Boston Marathon. In his honor, she turned her passion for running into a lifelong mission to raise awareness and funds for research in pancreatic cancer, the 3rd leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and the lowest funded for research. “When I began this journey, my goal was to raise a million dollars and help find a cure for pancreatic cancer. We’ve come so far, but the fight is far from over,” says Weiss, who is an ambassador for the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Research and has become a vital voice in the pancreatic cancer community.

Julie’s journey has expanded beyond marathons, as she continues to inspire countless individuals by sharing the story of her incredible achievements in a Ted X talk, in her memoir 52 Marathons: The Miles and Trials of a Marathon Goddess, available on Amazon.com and as one of seven featured runners in the inspiring documentary Spirit of the Marathon II. Julie continues to run marathons in her fifties to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer research, proving that pursuing your dreams knows no age limits. In March of 2025 she crossed her 118th finish line at the Los Angeles Marathon.