Like so many others, my involvement with PanCAN began with the loss of a loved one. My husband, Hutch (Gary L. Hutchins, Sr.) received his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis on the morning of his 63rd birthday, September 3rd, 2020.

Hutch is the love of my life and the healthiest person I knew, always encouraging me to keep my doctor appointments. His cancer journey began unknowingly late July 2020 when we were preparing to travel to Virginia to support his brother through his surgery. Before going to Virginia, Hutch was having abdomen pain and thought it was a kidney stone. We went to Urgent Care, and they did not find any kidney stones and sent him to the hospital for further testing. The hospital advised him to see a urologist and forwarded his results to his PCP, who scheduled an MRI on August 22nd. Two days later, we were informed that he had pancreatic cancer. His PCP scheduled a biopsy on September 2nd, and Hutch was advised of his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis the very next day. We decided to fight this disease and were optimistic when he qualified for the clinical trial at Johns Hopkins. However, we received catastrophic news on the first day of his clinical trial that his cancer was advancing and that he was no longer eligible to participate in the trial. We prayerfully moved forward with chemo treatments as his cancer continued to advance. We fought hard to beat this dreadful disease, but the cancer proved too much in the end. Our lives horrifically changed on November 2nd, 2020, when we lost Hutch to pancreatic cancer.

Hutch's pancreatic cancer journey was one of excruciating and heartbreaking pain, something I will never be able to erase from my mind. My mission and promise to my husband are to do whatever it takes to ensure no other person or family will have to endure this life-altering disease.

My goal is to work with PanCAN to continue raising awareness and fund research that will aid in the early detection of this horrendous cancer and decrease the pancreatic cancer mortality rate.

I'm going to help make progress with your support.

I'm participating in PanCAN's PurpleStride, a year-round national movement that funds life-changing programs and services for pancreatic cancer patients and their families.

Every dollar you give means more patients can benefit from PanCAN's free, one-on-one support, personalized information, service, and resources that can make a real difference in their lives.

Please make a gift of any size to get me one step closer to my fundraising goal and improving more patients' lives.

Patients and families need us now more than ever.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!