Freeholders Proclaim November 2017 World Pancreatic Cancer Month In Morris County

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Freeholders have proclaimed November as World Pancreatic Cancer Month in Morris County, to help call attention to this hard-to-diagnose, quick moving and very deadly disease that will take more than 1,300 lives in New Jersey during 2017. On Sunday, PurpleStride was held at the Mack-Cali Campus in Parsippany. (Click here to read related article)

The proclamation comes as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day will be observed tomorrow, November 16, 2017, across the state and nation.

“This is part of a statewide and worldwide initiative to deal with the growing problem of pancreatic cancer, one that effects many residents in our state and many people right here in Morris County,’’ said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana.

New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie has announced that Drumthwacket, the Governor’s Official Residence, will be illuminated in purple all day tomorrow to help spread awareness of the disease and its symptoms while promoting the importance of earlier detection.

Here are some sobering statistics on pancreatic cancer:

• An estimated 53,670 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed this year with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, and 43,090 are expected to die from the disease.
• Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It is projected to become the second by 2030.
• Pancreatic cancer is the only major cancer with a five-year relative survival rate in the single digits at just seven percent.
• When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present themselves, it is generally in later stages, and 71 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year of their diagnosis, and 93 percent die within five years
• Approximately 1,300 deaths will occur in New Jersey in 2017, including residents of Morris County, and
• Pancreatic cancer is the 7^th most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women across the world, and
• There will be an estimated 420,000 new pancreatic cancer cases diagnosed worldwide in 2020.

The freeholders, in their proclamation, noted that the good health and well-being of Morris County would be enhanced as a direct result of increased awareness about pancreatic cancer and research into early detection, causes, and effective treatments.