PanCAN Fundraiser
PanCAN: Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Two days after our wedding in October of 2012, my dad was diagnosed with terminal Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He had less than a 1% chance to live. He died nearly 7 months to the day following his diagnosis, after completing 5 months of the latest chemotherapy treatments. I am creating this group to raise money to donate to a worthy cause with the hope that we can help to find a cure so that no family has to suffer the loss of a loved one due to such an ugly disease. My hope is that no family has to watch strong, loving, capable individuals become a whisper of the thriving person they once were. Cancer is painful to endure and painful to watch. There are days when cancer patients' main goal is just trying to stay awake; to walk to the bathroom; to get out of bed. Diets change and it is difficult to find nourishing food that is still appetizing or appealing. I watched my dad handle this disease with grace and dignity. He was tenacious and bright spirited, even on his worst days. He still made sure that everyone else had what they needed, happy, and having a great day, and he was always willing to lend a helping hand or to sit back and listen. For these reasons and many more, I hope to make this donation in his name. To honor and remember him, both for who he was long before cancer, and who he continued to be during his fight. I hope that we can make the future better for the estimated 46,420 people (23,530 men and 22,890 women) who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2014 alone, and the families of the estimated 39,590 who will die from the disease (www.cancer.org). Remember that every little bit counts. $5 can help buy a box of gloves that researchers wear to conduct experiments. $20 can help buy a box of needles that are used to draw blood for patients receiving treatment or who are in trials. Thank you for taking the time to check out this page and to read this plea. If you would, please consider paying it forward to help find a cure! Our plan is to send in the total amount donated on March 11, 2015, in honor of my dad's birthday. If you would like to learn more about the organization, or to participate in a local Purple Stride event, please follow the links below:
http://www.purplestride.org/
Thank you again for all of your love, support, and belief in a better tomorrow!
All my best,
Kelly
