WELL, HUNDREDS OF WOMEN ARE GEARING UP TO SWIM, BIKE AND RUN IN A CANCER CHARITY TRIATHLON WEEKEND UP IN MAINE. BUT A PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN AND CANCER SURVIVOR HERSELF IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CLAIM THE TITLE AS OLDEST PARTICIPANT. HOW ABOUT THAT, JAMIE AZULAY INTRODUCES US TO THE 87 YEAR OLD TRIATHLETE FROM THE POCONOS. I WAS AMAZED. I WAS FLABBERGASTED, I THOUGHT, THIS CAN’T BE SO, BECAUSE 87 DOESN’T SEEM THAT OLD TO ME. AT 87, BARBARA ROYLE IS NOW THE OLDEST WOMAN TO EVER PARTICIPATE IN THE TRI C1 SAYS OKAY, WHY NOT? WHY DON’T I TRY IT? BARBARA TRAVELS TO MAINE C1 C1 RACE DAY. LUCKY C1 TO MAKE C1 OVERHEATED. LUCKY AND C1 C1 TO, YOU KNOW, JUST HOPING THAT THAT YOU TWO WILL HAVE THE THAT YOU’LL HAVE C1 THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR C1 THEIR JOURNEY IN THEIR CANCER JOURNEY IS EVERYTHING TO ME. WHEN EVERYONE’S TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THAT SITUATION AND, AND GIVING EACH OTHER ENERGY TO JUST GO ON, TO KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING. THAT’S HER MANTRA ALL YEAR LONG. IT SOUNDS SILLY, BUT I DON’T WANT TO BE A NUISANCE TO MY FAMILY. SHE CREDITS 12 YEAR OLD POPPY FOR KEEPING HER ACTIVE, AND SHE HOPES OTHER WOMEN DO THE SAME. ANYBODY WHO WALKS AROUND AND WALKS A DOG OR IS MODERATELY ACTIVE CAN DO A FIVE K. I JUST HOPE PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED BECAUSE IT’S SUCH A
87-year-old cancer survivor from Pennsylvania joins Maine charity triathlon
Updated: 6:21 PM EDT Jul 10, 2026
Barbara Royle, an 87-year-old cancer survivor from Pennsylvania, has become the oldest participant in Maine’s Tri for a Cure, a cancer charity triathlon, where she walked the 5K as part of Team Sandpiper. “I was amazed. I was flabbergasted. I thought this couldn’t be so, because 87 doesn’t seem that old to me,” Royle said. A Family tradition in MaineRoyle, who travels to Maine each summer to spend time with her family, is a mother of four and a grandmother. She ends her visit with race day. “It’s such a fun, just a really happy day – just walking and walking,” she said. She participates alongside her daughters, with Abby biking on their relay team and Lucky competing in the full triathlon. “We grab Gatorade and water along the way. We sort of check on each other to make sure we’re not getting too overheated,” Lucky Pratt said. Cancer survivorship and hopeBoth Royle and Lucky are cancer survivors, though Lucky is still battling a metastatic diagnosis. “I think about my own survivorship in relationship to you, you know, just hoping that you too will have the same end result that I did, that it just goes away,” Royle said.Why the event mattersFor the family, the event is deeply meaningful. “It just means everything to me to know that there’s an organization out there that’s raising money to do those things, and then to be there to support my mom and sister in their journey, in their cancer journey, is everything to me,” said Abigail Royle. “When everyone is together, you know, so many people are in that situation and giving each other energy to just go on, to keep going,” Royle said.Royle’s Message: Keep GoingRoyle lives by the mantra “keep going” throughout the year. “It sounds silly, but I don’t want to be a nuisance to my family,” she said. She credits her 12-year-old dog, Popchick, for keeping her active and encourages others to stay involved. “Anybody who walks around and walks a dog or is moderately active can do a 5K. I just hope people get involved, because it’s such a good thing. The Tri is wonderful to have something to be a part of,” she said.
Barbara Royle, an 87-year-old cancer survivor from Pennsylvania, has become the oldest participant in Maine’s Tri for a Cure, a cancer charity triathlon, where she walked the 5K as part of Team Sandpiper.
“I was amazed. I was flabbergasted. I thought this couldn’t be so, because 87 doesn’t seem that old to me,” Royle said.
A Family tradition in Maine
Royle, who travels to Maine each summer to spend time with her family, is a mother of four and a grandmother. She ends her visit with race day. “It’s such a fun, just a really happy day – just walking and walking,” she said.
She participates alongside her daughters, with Abby biking on their relay team and Lucky competing in the full triathlon.
“We grab Gatorade and water along the way. We sort of check on each other to make sure we’re not getting too overheated,” Lucky Pratt said.
Cancer survivorship and hope
Both Royle and Lucky are cancer survivors, though Lucky is still battling a metastatic diagnosis.
“I think about my own survivorship in relationship to you, you know, just hoping that you too will have the same end result that I did, that it just goes away,” Royle said.
Why the event matters
For the family, the event is deeply meaningful. “It just means everything to me to know that there’s an organization out there that’s raising money to do those things, and then to be there to support my mom and sister in their journey, in their cancer journey, is everything to me,” said Abigail Royle.
“When everyone is together, you know, so many people are in that situation and giving each other energy to just go on, to keep going,” Royle said.
Royle’s Message: Keep Going
Royle lives by the mantra “keep going” throughout the year. “It sounds silly, but I don’t want to be a nuisance to my family,” she said.
She credits her 12-year-old dog, Popchick, for keeping her active and encourages others to stay involved. “Anybody who walks around and walks a dog or is moderately active can do a 5K. I just hope people get involved, because it’s such a good thing. The Tri is wonderful to have something to be a part of,” she said.