Pancreatic cancer survivors raise their voices on Capitol Hill

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s (PanCAN) fiscal year ended June 30, and it was one for the record books. We want to take this opportunity to share the many highlights of the past year that would not have been possible without your support.

Because of you:

  • More than 13,000 patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals contacted PanCAN Patient Services for the first time to receive information, resources and support.
  • PurpleStride Washington, D.C., raised $1 million, becoming the first event to reach this significant milestone.
  • 650 registered participants from every state, including 110 pancreatic cancer survivors, flocked to Capitol Hill for National Pancreatic Cancer Advocacy Day to urge their members of Congress to increase federal funding for pancreatic cancer research.
  • More than 90,000 participants joined us at 55 PurpleStride events across the U.S., impressively mobilizing their local communities to raise about $14 million.
  • Seven scientists were awarded PanCAN research grants, which totaled more than $3 million.
  • Insights from PanCAN’s Patient Registry were published in the journal Pancreas and showed that patients taking enzyme replacement therapy during meals had significant alleviation of digestive symptoms. This publication sheds light on important information that can help improve patients’ quality of life.
  • Congress approved a $2 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $179.1 million increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for fiscal year 2019 thanks to advocates across the country raising their voices.
  • The Precision Promise Supportive Care Committee published evidence-based recommendations for recognizing and addressing pancreas cancer-associated weight loss. These best practices will help clinicians understand and treat this debilitating symptom.
  • The World Pancreatic Cancer Day campaign was the largest to date, with significant media coverage resulting in nearly 1 billion impressions, bringing much-needed awareness to the disease.
  • PanCAN presented six research abstracts at major scientific and clinical conferences, including results from PanCAN’s Know Your Tumor precision medicine service demonstrating improved survival for patients who received certain therapies matched to the biology of their tumors.

Thank you to all of the donors, volunteers, fundraisers and supporters who made this possible. Together, we can improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.

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Inspired by these highlights? Help continue the momentum by donating or getting involved today.