November is National Pancreatic Awareness Month. Whil pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, it receives very little public attention. And what's worse is federal funding for pancreatic cancer research lags far behind other leading causes of cancer death stalling scientific advances for early detection methods and effective treatment options.
Pancreatic cancer is the only one of the top ten cancer killers with a five-year survival rate still in the single digits' and the survival rate hasn't significantly changed in nearly 40 years. We must work together to change this statistic and save lives, and it starts with increasing the visibility of pancreatic cancer.
Sadly, most families don't even know what pancreatic cancer is untill it affects them.
I know because my father, Matt DeClercq passed away from pancreatic cancer 11 years ago today.
I invite you to join me in spreading the word about pancreatic cancer this November. Go to http://www.knowitfightitendit.org/ to learn how you can be a hero in the fight against this devastating disease.
Sincerely,
Nicolle
Great post Nicolle. I cannot believe it has been 11 years. My friend at work lost her mother and aunt to this horrible disease. :( At our regatta last week our boat wore purple shirts and jerseys in honor of Pancreatic Awareness.
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