I grew up in a home where it wasn't unusual to see my mother move mountains. It was normal to see her laugh in the face of adversity, to prevail in times of hardship. My mother was unique. And not in your typical way of expressing a mother. She was truly a unique and incredibly talented person. 

She had just turned 66 years old when she died from pancreatic cancer. I never left her side. From the minute I knew she was sick, the sleep that eluded me, the tears I cried at night, alone. The fear, the unknown, the horror I watched her suffer will forever be engrained in my memory. Pancreatic Cancer changed my life. I lost relationships, my family completely uprooted, my father...stripped of his strength, and alone. 

I am not even going to explain what it feels like to sit in between your parents as the doctor tells one of them they need to go get their affairs in order. Words can't describe watching your entire life's foundation be cracked by the pleas of your father, and the sobs from the woman you had only ever seen defy the odds. 

My family has no history of cancer. NONE. I was my mothers primary caregiver and I didn't have a clue on what or how to take care of her. PanCan was everything to me during that time. They gave me hope. They helped me advocate for her. They were my lifeline. 

My mother died 34 days after she was diagnosed because our hospitals arent educated enough about this disease. She died miserably, while I sat beside her and my family on zoom. No family should have to go through, see, deal with, or have to worry, should they ever be faced with such a terrible disease. 

So fighting with the strength of my mother, the heart of my father, and the strength of PanCan Purple. I support an organization I know first hand is not just there, but needed. It was so detrimental to every aspect of how I cared for my mother. I believe in a future where people with pancreatic cancer can thrive. And I may be one person, but I know I am a million when I join in and take PurpleStrides against this cancer.