With your support, I’m taking action to improve the lives of everyone impacted by pancreatic cancer.
As many of you know, I had my own close brush with pancreatic cancer recently. When I was just 31 years old, doctors inadvertently discovered a massive - but asymptomatic - tumor in my pancreas. The six weeks following that discovery were a rush of doctors appointments, tests, and procedures, which together were all part of the mad dash toward surgery. That surgery ultimately removed two-thirds of my pancreas and a bunch of lymph nodes, and led to some follow up procedures and a host of problems that arise when you’re left with just a little sliver of an important organ. But, most importantly, we caught and removed the tumor “in time” - a not-so-subtle euphemism for “before the tumor could become invasive pancreatic cancer and, in all likelihood, kill me.”
I got extraordinarily lucky. Pancreatic cancer is rarely caught before it’s already spread widely through the body. And, especially once it has spread, pancreatic cancer is nearly impossible to treat. Precious few people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive for a year past diagnosis; even fewer survive five years, and almost none get to ever say they are cancer-free. I thank my lucky stars every day that we found my tumor when we did: early enough to save my life. And I am acutely aware of what fate would have had in store for me if we hadn’t.
Far more people deserve what I got and what we all take for granted: a future. I’m raising money for pancreatic cancer research in the hopes that we can work on catching pancreatic cancer earlier, and on finding new and effective treatments for those diagnosed later in the progression of the disease. I hope you can help me give others the future I’m so grateful to have.
I got extraordinarily lucky. Pancreatic cancer is rarely caught before it’s already spread widely through the body. And, especially once it has spread, pancreatic cancer is nearly impossible to treat. Precious few people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive for a year past diagnosis; even fewer survive five years, and almost none get to ever say they are cancer-free. I thank my lucky stars every day that we found my tumor when we did: early enough to save my life. And I am acutely aware of what fate would have had in store for me if we hadn’t.
Far more people deserve what I got and what we all take for granted: a future. I’m raising money for pancreatic cancer research in the hopes that we can work on catching pancreatic cancer earlier, and on finding new and effective treatments for those diagnosed later in the progression of the disease. I hope you can help me give others the future I’m so grateful to have.
Please make a gift of any size to get me one step closer to my fundraising goal and help PanCAN create a world in which all patients with pancreatic cancer will thrive. With a disease so deadly and so scary, even a few dollars makes a difference.
Patients and families need us now more than ever.
I know that not everyone is in a position to give - and that many of you have other causes that you’ll understandably prioritize. For those with some cash to spare, I hope you’ll consider supporting this cause very close to my own heart. I am grateful for your generous support, whether that comes in the form of monetary donations or simple love and good wishes from wherever you are.
Printable donation form - print and mail.
