by Donna Thacker

Created on: May 15, 2010

I lost my husband to pancreatic cancer on April 23, 2009. Until he was diagnosed, I knew nothing about this deadly disease, except that it was something Patrick Swayze had. He was still making movies wasn’t he? So maybe it wasn’t so bad. The more I read on the subject, the more I realized just how very awful pancreatic cancer is.

I learned much more than I cared to know as I struggled through the next few months, watching my husband slip away, while the doctors and I stood by virtually helpless to save him. They call pancreatic cancer the “silent killer” for a very good reason. Most people are not aware that they have it until it is too late to help them.

Symptoms do not show up until the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as the lungs and stomach. Fluid will build up in the chest cavity and it is much like drowning, as the fluid compresses the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Some even pass this off as a cold, or sinus congestion.

To help raise awareness about pancreatic cancer, you should first read the staggering statistics. In January of 2009 a bill was introduced to the House of Representatives. H.R. 745 is the “Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act.” The information provided in this bill is shocking.

The Bill states that nearly 38,000 Americans will be diagnosed that year and that more than 34,000 of them will die from the disease. Seventy five percent of pancreatic cancer patients will die within a year of diagnoses. Some will lose the battle within just a few months. My husband was diagnosed on February 27th, 2009...he died on April 23rd 2009.

He hadn’t even been really ill and had continued working until the first week of March. We only found the disease because he believed he had a work related hernia. What the doctor found was no hernia. The pancreatic cancer was inoperable and already spreading. Our only option was to try radiation and chemo. He went down hill so quickly that we never even got the chance to try chemo.

Cancer research depends on grants and donations. Unfortunately, very little of the grant money goes to benefit pancreatic cancer. As a result, very little is known about this disease.  According to the HR 745 report, pancreatic cancer research today, is where breast cancer research was in the 1930’s. Very few scientist gear them self towards the investigation of pancreatic cancer or have the education for it.

There are many pancreatic cancer foundations out there if one takes the time to look. Finding and supporting a good foundation is a giant step in helping to raise pancreatic cancer awareness. The Lustgarten Foundation is one such foundation that I follow and support.

Their site is a wealth of information, not only about pancreatic cancer, but about how they help with research and funding.  The site will also show you how you can help by supporting them and by helping to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer. Read the facts and you will see why it is so important to make people aware of this “Silent Killer.”

You cannot help fight the war against this disease if you are not properly armed. Arm yourself with all of the knowledge you can get, and then get out there and spread the word. Let’s not let pancreatic cancer sneak up and take our loved ones without putting up a good fight to defeat it. Pancreatic cancer took my loved one, and because of that, I will continue to wage war on this disease to hopefully save some one else. Will you help me?


http://www.lustgarten.org/Page.aspx?pid=587

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