Played Minister Rozahn and Luaran on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"  

As a 20-year survivor of pancreatic cancer, I am reminded every day of how lucky I am. I had symptoms. I just didn’t know what they were for. Lower back pain, chronic heartburn and unexplained weight loss. Most people don’t get these early warning signs. And those who do are either like me and don’t equate them with anything as serious as pancreatic cancer, or they are diagnosed too late to be operable. Me? I saw my doctor on a Friday and the next Monday I was in the hospital. 17 days later I left the hospital having had a Whipple Procedure and three weeks after that I started chemo.

 After the initial shock of my diagnosis wore off, I woke to the fact that I had a lot left to do and I was going to fight like hell to stay alive.  I was lucky enough to be fit, have great insurance, an even better medical team, I was surrounded by my family and friends and mostly I have the world’s greatest husband.

Four years ago, my husband Armin and I, along with our friend Jonathan Frakes, joined forces with PanCAN for PurpleStride LA. Two years, John Billingsley joined us. This year Juan Carlos Coto also jumped on board.

Again this year we are excited to be back raising money, raising awareness, and raising hope. So many people since have reached out to me to let me know my story gave them hope that they could survive. Or that that their mom or brother could survive. Or that they had lost a friend, but my story made them feel better.

 By the way, everyone who did that gave me hope right back.

I continue to work with PanCAN. Because of PanCAN, I’m able to help people. Patients, their family members, and friends. But more importantly, PanCAN is changing the trajectory of this disease. 

 So, with our even larger Trek team, this year we are participating in PanCAN Purple Stride Los Angeles 2024 so that I can, and we together can, help PanCAN change the survival rate for pancreatic cancer.

 No group is more inclusive, more generous, or more committed to science and the future than Trek fans.

 Let’s join hands again at PanCAN PurpleStride to create the future we want.

 We can change the course of pancreatic cancer. Let’s do it.

 Live long and prosper.