In Conversation: Amanda Hayes, Affiliate Chair, Atlanta Affiliate

Atlanta Affiliate Chair Amanda Hayes spoke with Community Engagement Senior Specialist Paula Mukherjee about her volunteer journey and passion for PanCAN’s mission.

Paula: What is your connection to PanCAN’s mission?

Amanda: My husband and I have a blended family, and through my stepdaughter’s marriage I gained an unexpected friendship with her mother-in-law, Kathleen.

Over thirteen years, Kathleen became a close friend. We became part of each other’s lives.

At the end of January 2021, she thought she had the stomach flu. When she didn’t get better, she went to the ER. She had duodenal blockage and a mass was found with an endoscopic ultrasound.

It was pancreatic cancer. She was stage II, locally advanced. Our family didn’t know much about the disease, so it was incredibly overwhelming.

From that point, it was a crazy roller coaster. On top of everything, this was during Covid so there were restrictions on visiting her in the hospital.

Kathleen wasn’t a candidate for surgery and had multiple pauses in treatment due to complications and setbacks. She lost a lot of weight very quickly. It was incredibly difficult to see her go through this.

Paula: When did you find PanCAN?

Amanda: I did a Google search and found PanCAN and PurpleStride. I thought that PurpleStride could lift Kathleen’s spirits and we got everybody to register.

Sadly, she ended up passing away less than a week before PurpleStride 2022. Our first walk was very difficult.

I was with Kathleen in the hospital for a week shortly before she passed. She was still able to have amazing conversations. It was so alarming to have this vibrant person disappear before our eyes and feel like there was nothing that we could do about it.

Paula: It sounds like you two had a really special relationship.

Amanda: Yes. Given how we met, it was unusual. I spoke at her funeral.

Now that so many exciting things are happening with KRAS-targeted therapies and other scientific breakthroughs, I wonder, “what if…”

I want to do whatever I can to make sure that no one else has to walk along the same path we did.

Paula: How did you get involved as a PanCAN volunteer?

Amanda: When I found PurpleStride, I also learned about PanCAN Patient Services. I called them with questions, and they got back to me within 24 hours. I was shocked at how responsive they were because the whole health care experience until then had been so challenging.

I started volunteering with PanCAN because of Patient Services. They made such an impact on me. The case managers are amazing.

I got in touch with the staff partner for the Atlanta affiliate. I worked on Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month at first, then outreach to current and former PurpleStride Grand Club members and those participants close to raising $1000 and reaching Grand Club.

I found out that what I really enjoyed was connecting with people, learning about their stories and needs and figuring out a way that I could provide support.

Paula: What brought you to the role of affiliate chair?

Amanda: Our affiliate chair left and I got worried that we were going to lose momentum, so I just started doing what needed to be done. Now I find myself as the affiliate chair!

Paula: How was PanCAN PurpleStride Atlanta this year?

Amanda: This was my first PurpleStride as affiliate chair with a mostly new team and a new staff partner. I had done a lot of corporate events in my career, but I still was still nervous about it. I wanted to make sure it went smoothly.

It went great! Our team really came together.

We were also really fortunate to have Elise Tedeschi as our survivor speaker. She’s a 14-year survivor who was diagnosed at stage IV. She’s now a patient advocate and is very knowledgeable and relatable. She was fantastic.

We feel excited about next year and are in talks with sponsors who want to have a bigger role at PurpleStride 2027!

Paula: What are your goals for the affiliate?

Amanda: I want to grow the affiliate and have more touchpoints with the community throughout the year, in addition to PurpleStride. We need to listen to members of the community to find out what they want and then put in the time to build those relationships.

We’re working on a three-to-five-year strategic plan, building our volunteer base up, and connecting with healthcare professionals. There are so many opportunities here in Atlanta and so much we can do, so we need to prioritize the activities that have the biggest impact.

What can we do to move the ball forward on the three goals in PanCAN’s five-year action plan: drive the five-year survival rate to 20%, raise $60 million, and raise awareness of PanCAN to 30%? That’s the approach I want to take.

Paula: What upcoming events are you excited about?

Amanda: The last PurpleLight in Atlanta was 14 years ago; we’re going to bring it back this year! I’m hoping PurpleLight will be another avenue to engage PurpleStride teams and participants and also an entry point for people who are looking for a different type of experience as well.

I’ve been connecting with volunteers in different affiliates to learn from their experiences with PurpleLight and other events. Dallas, for example, has a similar layout to Atlanta. They’re both large cities where the population is spread across a large region, so travel times can be long.

We’re also participating in community tabling events to engage and grow our Mission and Community Action Team (MCAT) as well. One affiliate volunteer is a genetic counselor at a hospital here; she hasn’t been personally impacted by pancreatic cancer, but she wanted to volunteer because she knew it was a difficult disease.

I’m so excited about all these opportunities!

Paula: How has your experience working with other Atlanta affiliate volunteers been?

Amanda: I’m really enjoying it. I love everybody on our team. We’re really fortunate to have each other and the mission that brings us together.

Paula: Thank you, Amanda, for everything you do for the PanCAN community!