By Sebastian B.

My Dad has been one of my greatest inspirations from a very young age. My Dad has been my rock, fueling and motivating me to pursue my dreams, my goals, and my ambitions. He encouraged me to pursue my passion for the sciences – driving me to my first science fair, helping me balance equations, concocting zany science experiments. When my Dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May 2013, I truly felt as if the world had been pulled away from under my feet.

After joining a clinical trial, my Dad underwent the Whipple Procedure, proton radiation and lengthy chemotherapy. His relentless energy, fueled by the support system built by our family and friends, proved to be the best healing therapy he could possibly receive. I feel unspeakably fortunate that over three years later, he is in remission with only a 15% chance of recurrence.

I recently relocated to the Los Angeles area from the East Coast where I grew up. I was searching for a home away from home, a community who could relate to my family’s experience with pancreatic cancer. The Hirshberg Foundation proved to be exactly the community I was searching for; they are a driven group of passionate team members who are committed to fighting a devastating disease. My experience this Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month means joining the efforts of the Hirshberg Foundation. The Hirshberg Foundation welcomed me with open arms as a volunteer for their fall 2016 LA Cancer Challenge. Their motto – “Pancreatic cancer is relentless. Fortunately so are we.” – speaks volumes about the ceaseless energy they put towards their fundraising, event coordination, and community action.

This very combination of science and community, of intricate treatment and collective support, forms the foundation of not only my Dad’s ongoing treatment and recovery, but countless others. I am inspired to enter the field of cancer research and treatment myself, and carry the encouragement and energy of my Dad.

November 17, 2016, is a day we will unite and make our voices heard. In the battle against pancreatic cancer, we will show the world we are in it together.

According to a global survey, 60 percent of people know “almost nothing” about pancreatic cancer. It’s time to elevate the global conversation.

We will come together to draw attention to pancreatic cancer and highlight the need for greater awareness, funding and research – and most importantly, create a brighter future for people around the globe.

World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition

Never has a group been more passionate and committed to fighting for our patients! An astounding 58 organizations based in 24 countries across the globe have partnered in an effort to inform and educate the public, share ideas, offer support & resources, and most importantly collaborate. Members of the WPCC are acutely aware of the obstacles patients and families face, because they too have been personally impacted by the disease. As the coalition grows, we have great hopes that the pancreatic cancer movement will thrive and change lives.

Collectively, the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition members are working to:

• Advance research
• Educate patients and the medical community
• Provide genetic testing resources
• Share clinical trial information
• Facilitate community outreach
• Improve patient care & services

What you can do in November, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month:

1. Throughout November and on November 17, take a picture with friends, family and colleagues to show we are in it together.
2. Use #HirshbergFoundation #WPCD and tag @hirshbergfoundation and @worldpancreatic so your posts can be seen.
3. Share your story to help us raise awareness in November and year round.
4. Don’t forget to wear purple!

Hero Stories

Every day the Hirshberg Foundation is inspired by extraordinary stories shared by survivors and families deeply affected by pancreatic cancer. Sharing insight into your personal experience could make all the difference for a family facing a cancer diagnosis today and give our doctors and researchers a glimpse into the lives of those who support and fund their work.

Share Your Story »

Marlene

“My mom’s a fiercely independent woman who did so much on her own so this has been quite an adjustment. Like so many other pancreatic cancer patients has had to adjust to her new normal. I am thankful for each and every moment shared with my mother and pray that scientists will soon find a cure for this horrible disease.”
– Melissa, daughter

Lupe Romero

“I know what I face. This cancer can do whatever it wants to my body but it will never touch my heart or my soul; it will never change who I am and I will not allow it to take away my joy. On the good days and the bad days I inhale life to the fullest!”
– Lupe

Marge

“Our mother’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has been difficult but her spirit is strong. We have been presented with some of the most unimaginable circumstances but she has given us the room to laugh, love and live gracefully.”

– Ricci & Robin, daughters

At the 48th meeting of the European Pancreatic Club, held this past June 8, 2016, in Liverpool, winners of the Hirshberg Awards were presented by one of the leading pancreatic cancer researchers in the US. David Tuveson, M.D., Ph.D., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Professor, Johns Hopkins University, handed out the Hirshberg Awards to the following winners:

Hirshberg Award for Best Paper in Pancreatic Cancer (Basic Science):
Simone Benitz, Department of Surgery, Technische Universität München, München, Germany

Hirshberg Award for Best Paper in Pancreatic Cancer (Clinical Science):
Jörg Kleeff, University of Liverpool/Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK

Hirshberg Award for Excellence in Pancreatic Cancer Nursing:
Philip Whelan, – Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK

Hirshberg Award for Excellence in Pancreatic Cancer – Patient:
Julie Simper, Patient/Support Group Organizer for PCUK

We congratulate all the winners and look forward to supporting the EPC in the future.

Dr. Timothy Frankel, MD, University of Michigan, has received the NIH Clinical Scientist Career Development Award. This award is a 5 year study totaling $875,000. The NIH funded project is the progression of his initial study of the immune-epithelial cell cross-talk, which will help discern why patients with chronic inflammatory conditions are prone to developing pancreas cancer.

Dr. Frankel received funding from our Seed Grant Program in the 2014-2015 cycle. To date, the Foundation has supported 40 new Seed Grant projects that have generated approximately 100 million dollars to continue our aggressive path to improve the outcome of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

I would personally like to thank all of our donors for their continued support and for understanding the complexity and the years it takes to advance medical research. The answers are coming one step at a time and we are getting closer and closer to treating pancreatic cancer as a manageable disease.

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Stephen Pandol, MD, and Mouad Edderkaoui, PhD, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have developed a novel drug, Metavert, to treat pancreatic cancer. The drug is designed to prevent metastasis of pancreatic cancer and enhance the effectiveness of current treatments. Metavert targets, simultaneously, two important proteins involved in promoting cancer growth and in spreading of the disease. Their data in animals show complete prevention of cancer spreading to other organs and significant improvement of the survival time of mice.

They also found that the drug kills human cancer cells in the process of spreading to other organs when they tested Metavert with metastatic cells taken from pancreatic cancer patients at Cedars-Sinai.

Dr. Pandol, a valued member of the Hirshberg Scientific Advisory Board and Dr. Edderkaoui , a Seed Grant awardee in 2013, are featured in the video below. Watch now to see which their progress towards developing this treatment for pancreatic cancer and their plans for testing Metavert in a clinical trial in early 2018.

Advances in pancreatic cancer research happen thanks to generous donors like you whose support allows new ideas to thrive. There is more work to do but we’re getting closer! Every donation helps in our efforts. For further information about Metavert, feel free to contact me at [email protected].

I am pleased to share the following publication featured in the prestigious journal “Nature, April 16, 2016”. George Miller, MD, one of our Seed Grant Awardee’s in the 2015-16 cycle, completed the project in record time. It is very exciting to receive results of our funded work so rapidly – a momentum that promises to unravel the complexity of pancreatic cancer.

This study shows the importance of examining cancer from within the actual context in which it grows, mainly due to the immune response of the cells surrounding the tumor. New novel targets for potential anti-cancer drug development are made possible with the findings of this work.

We are grateful to the Hirshberg Scientific Advisory Board for their steadfast support of young investigators and we thank you for your donations which are vital to understanding the biology of pancreatic cancer.

And Dr. Miller himself asked me to tell you directly, “Thank you for your support!!!!!!”

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