PARSIPPANY — Pancreatic cancer is now the third leading cause of cancer death, surpassing breast cancer this year. With a five-year survival rate of only eight percent, it is one of the deadliest cancers.
The award-winning volunteer Northern New Jersey Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is working to change this, to re-write the course of this cancer. PurpleStride New Jersey 2016 is a family-friendly, 5K, timed run and awareness walk taking place on Sunday, November 13, at the Mack-Cali Business Campus, One Campus Drive. The entire New Jersey community is invited to participate.
PurpleStride creates awareness of this terrible cancer and much needed funds to support the mission of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network which is to advance research, support patients and create hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Sandi Field, of Mountain Lakes, Affiliate chair, explained, “All cancers are awful and dehumanizing. Vast numbers of other cancer patients can see remission and cure. Not so with pancreatic cancer, which has a mere 8 percent survival rate. My Mom died within five months of her diagnosis. I vowed to take action so other families could be spared the horror she endured that we helplessly watched.”
- The event details include:
- Check-in and same day registration opens at 7:30 a.m.
- PurplePlayZone, refreshments, ShopPurple store and more activities
- Opening ceremony with live entertainment starting at 9:00 a.m.
- Ken Rosato, ABC 7’s Eyewitness News This Morning anchor, as emcee
To register and learn more click here. Dana Quinn, PurpleStride Chair, encourages everyone to register on-line early and take advantage of early packet pickup.
“After losing my Dad to pancreatic cancer in 2011, I have been dedicated to raising awareness and funds for this unrelenting disease,” stated Dana, this year’s recipient of the prestigious Randy Pausch Award. “Vice President Joe Biden put a stake in the ground when he announced the Moonshot Initiative which focuses on advancements in cancer. New Jersey will come together to support this national initiative in hopes of achieving our goal to double pancreatic cancer survival by 2020.”
An estimated 41,780 Americans will die of pancreatic cancer this year according to the American Cancer Society. A goal of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is double survival by 2020 by continuing to raise community awareness, directly fund research, advocate for increased federal funding and resources, and provide premier patient services such as personalized medicine, Clinical Trial Finder, Know Your Tumor? and the Patient Registry through Patient Central. To learn more, visit pancan.org
Email Sandi by clicking here to find out how to volunteer.
