Perspectives on Pancreatic Cancer

 Pancreatic cancer is currently the 4th most common cause of death to cancer. , Unfortunately due to demographics (aging) and slow improvement in treatment and early detection, pancreatic cancer will be the 2nd leading cause of cancer death by the end of the current decade.  Thus, it is imperative that research funding be available to stem the march of this terrible disease, which has a five year survival rate of only 6%.  Earlier this year, our local US Representative Anna Eshoo carried the “Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act” into law.  This Act charters the National Institutes of Health to develop a strategic framework to improve survival rate.  Unfortunately, the Act is enabling legislation rather than funding, so we must still exert pressure to obtain adequate funding.  The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has been active in raising funds, supporting research independent of the federal government and creating a goal to double survival rate by 2020.

 I am one of those rare survivors (4 years so far), as I was fit, the disease was caught early, I had excellent family support AND most importantly I enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial. For more detail on my triumph over pancreatic cancer, here is my story of survival http://www.pancan.org/section_stories/story_details.php?id=1547&lang=1#.UgFYaZJqk8Q

 I hope to enlist your support.  The Silicon Valley Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network meets monthly (see announcements on the Patch).  At these meetings we plan our fundraising and events such as Outreach, Advocacy Day at the US Congress, Purple Stride in San Jose and Purple Light in Cupertino.  Outreach consists of awareness (Health Fairs, etc.) and visits to doctors (oncologists and gastroenterologists) to apprise them of the vast (free) resources available from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Dr. Richard Blish

If you wish to "dig deeper" here are three (short) links shown.  

Single page Pancreatic Cancer Fact Sheet

Two page The Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act

Also  in June 2013, about 600 volunteers, including survivors, attended Advocacy Day.  The first day was training such that a coordinated message was delivered to the Congress the next day. One of the "asks" was that each Senator or US Representative compose a short speech about pancreatic cancer which would be included in the Congressional Record Sample Floor Speeches

Here is a link to Pancreatic Cancer Silicon Valley Affiliate

http://pancan.org/section_get_involved/volunteer/affiliate_details.php?id=158

One final thought:

We’ve started our countdown to PurpleStride Silicon Valley!

Read more at www.purplestride.org/siliconvalley.

Did you know?

Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer death by 2020. Thank you for striding to change this!