Dear Family and Friends, 

For the ninth year, my family, friends and I will be participating in Purple Stride St Louis to raise funds for the Pancreatic Action Network on April 27th in Chesterfield, MO.   Our team Walking for Lynn was able to raise over $11,000 last year due to your generous donations!   Pancreatic Cancer is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer deaths before 2030. This devastating disease either has impacted, or sadly will impact, you personally in some way in the past or future years. Pancreatic Cancer Action Network helped give my sister Lynn Goeddel survival over 5 years from her stage 4 diagnosis. The fight was certainly not easy for her, it took her tenacity, determination and the support of all to make it there. She asked that we continue this fight.  When Lynn was diagnosed she set a goal of surviving at least 5 years so that her name could become a part of that small percentage (6%) of patients to reach that milestone.  Today the 5 year survival rate has risen to 13%!

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's goal is to drive the 5 year survival rate from 13%  to 30%, specifically to  20% by the year 2030,  and to grow awareness of pancreatic cancer in the US from 14% to 30%.  It is so important that we continue our mission to wage hope and support efforts to raise critical resources to fund treatments as well as to fund critical research options.  A great deal more research is needed so that a cure can be found.  

Please help us as we continue our efforts to provide more support and resources for current and future patients diagnosed and battling this disease.  Pancreatic Cancer continues to affect thousands of people daily. It is imperative that we continue to wage hope against the world's toughest cancer.

As stated by Katie Couric. Journalist and Stand Up To Cancer co-founder, “The reason cancer advocacy has worked so effectively for other types of cancer research is because there are a group of survivors who become advocates.  Because there aren’t many people who survive pancreatic cancer, like my sister Emily, the built-in advocacy base isn’t there, and it’s up to the ones left behind to channel our grief into activism.”  Couric’s sister Emily was diagnosed in July, 2000 and passed away October, 2001 at the age of 54.  

Please make a donation today by clicking on the "Donate to Celeste " button at the bottom of the letter to help me reach my personal goal and our team goal! Thank you in advance for your caring and support.

PurpleStride St. Louis will be held this year in Chesterfield on April 27th.   The opening ceremony will be held at the Amphitheater and the walk in Central Park-Chesterfield.   Please consider also joining our team to walk!  It always proves to be a very meaningful and fun day!  Thank you for your continued support!  Let me know if you need details for the walk!  

Sincerely,

Celeste Tichy

Co captain Team Walking for Lynn