My name is Debbie Persaud, and I am running my first ING New York City Marathon in honor of my fiancé, Jimmy “SuperFang” Fang, who was a resident of Princeton Township, NJ and fought a courageous two-year battle against his GBM grade IV brain tumor.  

Jimmy dedicated the remaining years of his life as a Brain Tumor Awareness Advocate for the Central NJ Brain Tumor Support Group.  He showed the world that you can live a full life and have brain cancer by lobbying for S.2102 “Ending the Medicare Disability 2-Year Waiting Period Act of 2007” and voicing the need for more drug options in the pipeline for malignant gliomas.  

At age 33, Jimmy was scheduled to run his first ING New York City Marathon in 2007, but his dream was cut short after two grand mal seizures; tumor growth in the cortex and fourth ventricle took away his ability to walk and resulted in his death seven weeks later.  

I was so lucky to be loved by Jimmy for the last 12 years. I am committed to honoring the “SuperFang” spirit and Brain Tumor families who have the courage and strength to “fight the good fight every day” as I cross the finish line.  If you would like to support me in my effort to finish the marathon in honor of Jimmy and fund new drug therapies to fight brain tumors, please make a donation (company match donation program encouraged if available).