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Survivors
Survivor Story: Emma Lamphear
In October 2005, I received one of the largest shocks of my life. I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer! The pancreas is an organ I had heard of, but I had no clue of its location or its function, much less that it can harbor cancer. Now, here I am – a three-plus year survivor of the Whipple surgery! My personal doctor had the misfortune of losing her mother to pancreatic cancer within a year after her diagnosis. Had there been as much research over the past 30 years as breast cancer, there might have been an early detection method that would have...
Survivor Story: Brian Pochel
I was 38 years old when I was diagnosed with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. My wife, Sheryl, and I have four kids. Our oldest had just turned six that month and our youngest was ten months old. I was told, "A year, probably not two" for my survival. We were told the chances of me making it to surgery were slim, because my tumor was completely wrapped around my portal vein, superior mesenteric vein and over 50% around my superior mesenteric artery. We were devastated. It took eight months of therapy, but I made it to the Whipple. At the time of my...
Survivor Story: Tyler Noesen
When I was 25 years old, I was working hard and trying to live life to the fullest. I had recently been promoted at work and between 60 hour work weeks, my girlfriend, now wife, and I would get out of town every chance we could. Everything was going to plan, my life was playing out just how I had...
Survivor Story: Gigi Esco
I AM A STATISTIC OF ONE. I AM A SURVIVOR. That's what I tell myself daily, because if you know what "they" say, then it's too easy to give up. In four days, I will celebrate my three-year survivorship! In October 2006, at age 40, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Like my friend who is also a pancreatic cancer survivor, I've never been one to abuse my body. I didn’t smoke. I drank little, if any, alcohol. There is no history of pancreatic cancer in my family. I had no "standard" risk factors. I ate well, loved my veggies, and...
Survivor Story: Chris Calaprice
Hello my name is Chris Calaprice. I am a six year survivor! I am 42 years old and have survived recurrent pancreatic cancer since 2003. Like many other people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I am not old, nor an excessive drinker. We understand little about the causes of this disease or it’s prevention. This can change with your help. I have lived a full life- a life of backpacking, multi-hundred mile bicycle tours, service in the US Army Rangers, rock climbing, sailing, crossing oceans, diving wrecks. I have a loving marriage, and...
Survivor Story: Laurie MacCaskill
Since I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006 at age 55, I have been fortunate to have had some wonderful resources available to help me through my journey with the disease. My husband, Paul, continues to be an enormous supporter in every sense of the word: his wit, wisdom, strength, love and courage have sustained me, and he has always been there for me both as a caregiver and my best friend. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network also served as a tremendous source of support for me. Soon after my diagnosis, I learned about the organization...
Survivor Story: Tammy Andries
My story is one of hope and one of success. However, my story starts out like so many others.Although I had no risk factors and no symptoms, I was told at the age of 39 that I had been diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. In fact, of the 37,000 people diagnosed with the disease that year, only about 2,500 would be diagnosed with my kind: a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, or islet-cell tumor.I was one of the lucky ones: my 8-centimeter mass, which was the size of a grapefruit, was operable. My doctor performed the Whipple...
Survivor Story: Roberta Luna
In May of 1998, as we were getting ready to attend our son's graduation from the University of California at Berkeley, it should have been one of the happiest times of life for our family. Instead, it was overshadowed by the knowledge that my father was going to die soon from pancreatic cancer. Like many people, I had never heard of pancreatic cancer until Michael Landon revealed his diagnosis. Since I grew up watching Bonanza, I had a deep crush on Little Joe, and I felt great sorrow upon hearing the news of his illness. However, I did not understand...
Survivor Story: Sandra Baulkmon Martin
In June of 2000, I received shocking news. My doctor walked into my hospital room and calmly told me that I had pancreatic cancer and surgery needed to be performed as soon as possible. He also pointed out that I had jaundice, which explained why the white portions of my eyes were yellow. I remember staring at him in disbelief. I thought, "Oh no, I can't have the big C. Not me!"My mother passed away from breast cancer in 1994 and all those memories came rushing back all at once. For the next day or so, I drifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions:...
Survivor Story: Kim Duhart
In 1999, at the age of 41, I began a journey that has been the most difficult of my life -- but also the greatest blessing. In April of 1999, after more than a year of recurring flu-like symptoms, abdominal pain and diarrhea, I developed itching over my entire body. My doctor believed I had gallstones and ordered an ultrasound in preparation for surgery. We were both shocked when the ultrasound showed that I did not have gall stones, but, rather, I had a tumor on my pancreas. On June 3, 1999 I underwent a Whipple procedure to remove a 4 centimeter tumor. The...
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