SAN ANTONIO – What began as a small 5K event in San Antonio back in 2014 to honor late KSAT News Director Jim Boyle has grown into a big show of support for brain cancer patients and their families.
And, for one San Antonio family, the Head for the Cure 5K has become a deeply personal tradition — a way to celebrate a beloved father and husband, Michael Hartfiel, who passed away in 2022 after a long battle with brain cancer.
“I’m honored to have him as my dad,” said Clara Hartfiel, Michael’s daughter, who’s been part of the race since childhood. “As I’ve grown up, I’ve realized it affects a lot more people.”
Michael Hartfiel was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in 2009, shortly after Clara was born. Her older sister was just two years old. Michael went through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation until he received his first clear scan in January of 2010.
When the Head for the Cure 5K launched in San Antonio in 2014, Michael joined the race not just as a participant, but as a survivor. He proudly ran each year, joined by his wife Michelle, their daughters, and a growing team of supporters.
“He would run the race. He was so proud that he could do it,” Michelle Hartfiel said.
However, Michael was re-diagnosed in 2020 and started oral chemo. in 2021, he underwent additional treatments at MD Anderson, but passed away the following year.
“We are so blessed that the girls were able to get to know their dad,” Michelle said. “If something would have happened in 2009 or 2010, Clara especially wouldn’t have known him.”
After his passing, the Hartfiel family’s commitment to the Head for the Cure 5K and the fundraising efforts to support brain cancer research has not wavered.
Team Headstrong, named in Michael’s honor, has grown to over 75 participants.
“It (the Head for the Cure 5K) gives you that faith and that strength just to keep moving forward,” Michelle said. “And just to be a light for somebody else.”