CANCER: Wage war on this kind

Over the past 30 years there has been a revolution in science and medicine, resulting in increased survival rates for many diseases but, unfortunately, pancreatic cancer has not benefited from these advances because historically there hasn’t been enough people who know about it. As a result, pancreatic cancer is the only one of the top cancer killers with a five-year survival rate in the single digits, at just 6 percent. Even more alarming is that the disease is anticipated to move from the fourth to the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States by 2020, and possibly as early as 2015. We must change this. We can.

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. I’ve pledged to support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s Vision of Progress to double the pancreatic cancer survival rate by 2020.

I have taken this pledge in memory of my sister who lost her battle to this disease just seven short months after her diagnosis. One day she was fine, the next day changed everything! This disease has not changed in 40 YEARS… it deserves more than that! I understand firsthand the urgent need to create hope for others and their loved ones.

Now is the time to be a hero in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Please visit www.pancanvision.org to learn more. To help in our area, join our local affiliate.

Together we can make a difference.

KATHY HLEBICHUK

Post Falls