Dear Family and Friends,

Almost 3 1/2 years have slowly ticked by since Xan died….This year, I didn’t feel I had the fortitude to raise my voice again and ask you to make a contribution to PanCan to support research and patient services.  The odd thing is that I lacked the fortitude for exactly the wrong reason.  I have been so saddened by the number of people I know who have been diagnosed or died from pancreatic cancer in the last 12 months that I was giving up hope…..and then I heard Xan’s voice, admonishing me that he never gave up hope, I need to be his voice and it is time for me to pull myself together and ask each one of you to donate generously.  So here I am once again.

As many of you know, Xan took the last long physical walk of his life at the September 28, 2019 PDX PurpleStride walk.  On that sunny Saturday, Xan spoke of the numerous craniotomies he had endured in the previous 6 months, he held his son’s hand tightly, and he spoke of hope.  He found the strength and energy to speak at the event about the importance of raising both voices and dollars and walk the entire route.  Xan spoke about the progress that had happened in the 5 years since his diagnosis, from a 5-year survival rate of 5% to 10%, and he spoke of how he benefitted from the Know Your Tumor program.  He told the newly diagnosed that it is a long road and a hard road but it is "walkable.  Don't ever give up hope."  

In the 3  1/2 years since Xan died the 5-year survival rate has only increased to 11% despite the increase in pancreatic cancer diagnoses.  In a recent Cedar-Sinai study, “Investigators found that rates of pancreatic cancer increased among both women and men. Unexpectedly, rates among women under the age of 55 rose 2.4% higher than rates among men of the same age, while similar increased rates were observed among older men and women. Furthermore, rates among young Black women rose 2.23% higher than among young Black men.” See https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/study-confirms-pancreatic-cancer-rates-rising-faster-in-women-than-men/

Federal dollars for research are still hard to come by which earns that we, in the pancreatic cancer community, need to do what our fiends in the breast cancer community are so successful doing, raise our voices and ask for your help and support.

This insidious disease so devastates the families left behind that so many cannot find the energy to ask our family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to support PanCan.  However, pancreatic cancer survivors and their loved ones cannot have more hope if there is no money for research.  Pancreatic cancer patients cannot have more hope if PanCan cannot offer its patient services. As Xan said in 2019, “the road is really hard but it is walkable; don’t give up hope”.  And this is why I am relaunching the YES WE XAN team.  Your dollars will give other families support, resources and and the hope for more and better treatment options.  

PanCan was by our side since early in Xan's diagnosis.  Xan participated in the Know Your Tumor program, twice; we attended the webinars; we spoke with Patient Resources on numerous occasions.  Perhaps most important is that with the support and resources of PanCan, we did not feel as alone in navigating this disease.  We are profoundly grateful to those we met through PanCan who reached out and visited in Xan's final days.  Xan never gave up and we will never give up. 

Please join the YES WE XAN team, walk with us virtually on April 29, 2023, and make a generous donation. Our YES WE XAN team goal is $10,000.

With deep gratitude, Lucy (Xan’s mom)