November is Pancreatic Awareness Month

It is a well-known fact that October is breast cancer awareness month, and over the past few years there has been an increase in awareness of men’s health issues as a result of Movember–men change their appearances (by growing a mustache) during the month of November in order to change other men’s thinking about health issues. What many people are not aware of is that November is also pancreatic cancer awareness month.

This year, pancreatic cancer awareness became a cause very important to me. In February, doctors found a mass on my Uncle Carmine’s pancreas. He was told that the cancer had not metastasized, and so the tumor was operable (a miracle, as far as my family understood),and shortly after being diagnosed he underwent surgery at the James Cancer Center at the Ohio State University. Doctors were confident they had removed all of the cancerous cells, and Uncle Carm returned home to begin his road to recovery.

Following the surgery Uncle Carmine was was in a tremendous amount of pain. While our family members were concerned, they were not in too much of a panic because they were told by doctors that the recovery from this surgery was brutal, at best. However, by June there were not many signs of improvement. In fact, Uncle Carmine was unable to eat much, losing weight, and in terrible pain. In the middle of June he had his follow-up appointment with the surgeon. During this appointment Uncle Carmine was told that the cancer had returned to his pancreas and had also spread to other organs.

On Friday, June 28, my Uncle Carmine lost his brief yet painful battle with pancreatic cancer. As my family continues to reel from this devastating, unthinkable loss, I feel that it is important to help raise awareness about this silent killer.

Pancreatic cancer is known as a “silent killer” due to the fact that by the time it is discovered in patients, it has usually already spread to other organs, making it nearly impossible to treat. There are no tests that can be used for early detection as of now, and according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, it is the only major cancer with a five-year survival rate in the single digits at 6%.

Raising awareness about pancreatic cancer is so incredibly important. Although it’s too late for my uncle and many others who lost their fights, we can still continue to fight for them to help ensure that other families don’t have to endure the pain and suffering that mine and so many others have.

For more information on how you can help in the fight against pancreatic cancer, visit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network website.

Sources of information and pictures
https://greaterbostongi.com/november-is-pancreatic-cancer-awareness-month/
http://www.wwl.nhs.uk/News/2017/November/WWL_works_with_partners_for_Awareness_Month.aspx