Remember and Honor Patrick Swayze on His Birthday, August 18th

To honor Patrick's courageous and public battle against pancreatic cancer, please join in to fight against this horrible disease. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is having a campaign throughout the month of August--At Home Challenge to advocate for support for the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S. 362/H.R. 733). Please go to: www.pancan.org/athomechallenge for additional information.

The Patrick Swayze Pancreas Cancer Research Fund at Stanford Cancer Center:
http://med.stanford.edu/cancer/features/research_news/Patrick_Swayze_Pancreas.html
focuses on developing more effective treatment for pancreas cancer patients. "Gifts to this fund will support studies to increase our understanding of pancreas cancer and develop new therapies and technologies that can be applied to improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention." George Fisher, MD. PhD. associate professor medicine-oncology.

Pancreatic cancer is ranked fourth among the types of cancers that people die from. There are no early detection screening tools. Significant progress has not been made in forty years to fight this disease and this is especially significant as compared to better progress made in fighting other types of cancer. Pancreatic cancer is sorely underfunded in comparison to other cancers. 94% of patients die within five years of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Per the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that in 2011 there will be 44.030 people in the US diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 37,660 will die from it.

Let us continue Patrick's battle to fight pancreatic cancer! I cannot think of  a better way to remember and honor Patrick!