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Fifteen-year-old Reyna Arreguin is many things. A sophomore in high school with straight A’s taking all AP classes. A wonderful big sister. A lover of unicorns. She’s upbeat, positive and passionate.
Reyna is also a survivor of pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed on Valentine’s Day when she was only 13.
Less than a week after diagnosis, she had the Whipple procedure, which, according to Reyna, “rearranged some organs” and left her with almost no pancreas. Luckily, she did not have to go through chemotherapy.
Reyna’s road to diagnosis started with a rash and subsequent trip to the doctor. There, she was told her rash was most likely an allergic reaction and was prescribed medication. Thankfully, Reyna’s mom, Nancy, pushed for a CT. Reyna had experienced GI issues since the age of seven, and Nancy instinctually knew her rash was related to something else.
A CT scan revealed a mass on Reyna’s pancreas – it was the size of a cantaloupe. She was admitted to their local children’s hospital in Chicago to have her Whipple. She’s only the third child at that hospital to be treated for pancreatic cancer.
Reyna and her family connected with PanCAN after a nurse told them about PanCAN PurpleStride, the ultimate walk to end pancreatic cancer. It’s PanCAN’s biggest community event of the year and PurpleStride 2026 will be Reyna’s second year participating. She will be speaking at PurpleStride Chicago.
In preparation for event day on Saturday, April 25, Reyna has a message for everyone who hasn’t signed up for PurpleStride yet: Register!
Today is National Registration Day for PanCAN PurpleStride. Join Reyna and thousands of others attending PurpleStride 2026 in communities across the nation. You will help raise much-needed awareness and funds to support patients with pancreatic cancer and their families.
Don’t wait – register now.
