On Valentine’s Day, most people show their love through roses & chocolates. This year, share your love with patients and families facing pancreatic cancer. Check out the many ways you can celebrate Cupid and make a difference in the fight against this disease.

Agi & Ron Hirshberg are a love story for the ages. Three days after they met, they set their wedding date for Valentine’s Day 1987. Just 10 years later, Ron was taken by pancreatic cancer and, in his memory, the Hirshberg Foundation was founded. Valentine’s Day is a bittersweet memory of their wedding anniversary and a reminder of why our “Never Give Up” motto is so important.

Watch Agi’s Love Story

Viola Floral

Jelena was a caretaker to her mom as she battled pancreatic cancer. Today, she keeps her mom’s memory and spirit alive through her designs at Viola Floral. Her floral arrangements pay homage to all the women who raise and uplift us, through all walks of life. Like flowers, they continually remind us to live in full bloom. As a special dedication, 50% of the proceeds from the sale of the “Hopeful Blooms” arrangement will benefit the Hirshberg Foundation. Delivery available in Los Angeles County only.

Send a gorgeous bouquet that gives back →

Jewelry

Wear your support proudly! Our collection of hand-picked jewelry gives back, creates awareness and looks fabulous. Treat yourself or a loved one to one of our bracelets or necklaces.

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Valentines e-Card

Don’t rush out to Hallmark store. Send a Valentines e-card to all the loved ones in your life.

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We wish everyone a safe, healthy and happy Valentine’s Day.

We are honored to present a celebration and conversation with three long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer, Philip, Michelle and Donna. Our guests discuss how they have dealt with the highs and lows of their cancer journey. Moderated by Dr. Elizabeth Cleary of the Simms/Mann-UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, our panelists share insights into how they weather the bumps in the road as well as how they achieve and appreciate the wins. The panel also addressed audience submitted questions for an informative discussion filled with hope.

Elizabeth Cleary, PhD returns to our Patient and Family Webinar Series to celebrate and speak with three long-term pancreatic cancer survivors. In April 2020, Dr. Cleary presented on Coping Skills for the Pancreatic Cancer Community: Tools and Tips During Covid-19. We are happy to welcome her back to moderate our conversation with a 10, 20 and 30-year survivor. In this inspiring discussion they share how they navigate their health challenges to become long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer.

Philip is a 30-year survivor who in 1990 was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer (NET). There was no internet to research and little information available to him to understand what this diagnosis meant. He was a marathon runner and initially thought his pain was ‘runners stitch’ however, soon after he was told he had pancreatitis. After non-stop pain he entered a hospital in Los Angeles and after 4 weeks without improving he was told by a surgeon, “we need to open you up to see what’s going on.” Philip was in surgery for 19 hours and awoke to a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. After months in the hospital he was finally released. Eventually he healed and has lived a fairly normal life for the last 30 years. He credits his faith, will to live and the incredible support from his wife and family for his good health.

Michelle is a 20-year survivor of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common pancreatic cancer. In 2002 she was diagnosed just one month before her 51st birthday. Other than a cousin who passed from pancreatic cancer in 1994 she had no other family history with this disease. She was tired for years and asked her doctor continually to test her thyroid to see if that was the culprit. Once diagnosed, she went to UCLA and Dr. Howard Reber, a renowned pancreatic cancer surgeon, to see if she was a surgical candidate. She was told she was inoperable and began chemotherapy. Her chemotherapy (5FU/Celebrex/Gemzar) was able to shrink her tumor from the size of an orange to the size of a grape in just six weeks! More chemo and radiation followed a successful surgery with Dr. Reber. Chemo continued for two more years and eventually she felt confident stopping treatment and starting life again. In 2014 she shared during our Annual Symposium that she felt “very healthy and had a good quality of life.” It’s time to check in with Michelle to see how she is doing six years later as she celebrates 20 years.

Donna is a 10-year survivor of pancreatic cancer (PDAC). Being in the best shape of her life, Donna found herself with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2011. She had the Whipple surgery performed by Dr. Joe Hines with Dr. Zev Wainberg as her oncologist, both of UCLA. The first 5 years post treatment were great! Then she went on a clinical trial which worked well for 2 ½ years. Today she is on a new clinical trial (targeted therapy) and is doing well. Even with the bumpy road Donna appreciates where she is today and has made life changes along the way to live every day to the fullest. 

Watch Webinar

Throughout National Cancer Prevention Month we’ll share risk factors, scientific research, webinars on topics touching on prevention and facts about how you can make an impact.

The first step on the pancreatic cancer prevention path is making healthy lifestyle choices. It takes decisive action to commit to quit smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding diabetes and managing pancreatitis. Learning about these lifestyle changes, or modifiable risk factors, empowers us to make healthy choices that can help prevent cancer. Adopting healthy lifestyle choices is the first step towards decreasing risk.

While we can change some risk factors, others are beyond our control, like family history and genetics. Knowledge is power when it comes to these immutable risk factors. It is important to know your family history and determine if there are familial risk factors. Seeking out a qualified geneticist allows those at an increased risk for hereditary pancreatic cancer to make proactive choices. While there is still no early screening test for pancreatic cancer, those with a genetic predisposition may qualify for screening programs. Across the US researchers have created pancreatic cancer tumor registries to track people with an increased genetic risk. Some of these registries include:

• The Pancreatic Tumor Registry at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)
• The National Familial Pancreatic Tumor Registry (NFPTR) at Johns Hopkins University
• The Cancer of the Pancreas Screening-5 (CAPS5) Study which is also a clinical trial currently conducted at 8 universities

Researchers continue to investigate what puts us at risk organically, genetically, environmentally and socioeconomically so that we can better prevent and treat pancreatic cancer. While scientists continue to explore and uncover what leads to pancreatic cancer, the first step on the path to prevention is to stay vigilant with your healthy choices.

Learn more about risk factors »

Prevention Research

The Hirshberg Foundation funds research to better understand the biology behind tumor development as well as to fully understand how environmental factors can accelerate tumor growth. This research contributes to pancreatic cancer prevention, early screening and treatment options.

The Sahin-Toth Laboratory, under the direction of leading pancreatic disease researcher, Dr. Sahin-Toth, is contributing to our understanding of this disease and one of the largest risk factors: chronic pancreatitis. In 2020, the Sahin-Toth lab published 10 papers, including a new study that looks at lifestyle factors and acute pancreatitis to determine prevention strategies. Working closely with the Hirshberg Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory these two labs are working to better understand how diet, obesity, genetics & inflammation contribute to pancreatic cancer acceleration.

In 2019 the Hirshberg Foundation supported UCLA in the recruitment of Miklos Sahin-Toth, MD, PhD, a leading pancreatic disease researcher and a specialist in chronic pancreatitis. The Sahin-Toth Laboratory is located next door and works closely with the The Ronald S. Hirshberg Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory, headed by long-standing director Guido Eibl, MD, Professor, Department of Surgery.

The two labs formed a strategic alliance to better understand how diet, obesity, genetics & inflammation contribute to pancreatic cancer acceleration. Dr. Eibl’s lab remains at the forefront of cutting-edge investigations into treatment, cancer biology, and potential preventive measures. Dr. Sahin-Toth’s lab focuses on hereditary chronic pancreatitis, a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Drs. Eibl and Sahin-Toth are committed to illuminating the role of pancreatic inflammation in cancer development and exploring potential interventions that could thereby reduce cancer risk. The two labs were awarded a collaborative research grant in 2020 to continue their important coordinated efforts.

In 2020, Dr. Sahin-Toth’s lab published the results of their research in various medical journals. Publishing this research adds to the understanding and body of knowledge on pancreatic cancer, helping researchers around the globe. As we heard from all labs, 2020 brought the added study of COVID-19 research to all disciplines, including Dr. Sahin-Toth’s. We are very proud of the accomplishments of both teams and look forward to continued progress.

Publications from the Sahin-Toth Laboratory in 2020

1) Mutation that promotes activation of trypsinogen increases severity of secretagogue-induced pancreatitis in mice.

Gastroenterology 2020, 158:1083-1094. Jancsó Z, Sahin-Tóth M.

This seminal study demonstrates that a mutation in the main digestive enzyme, trypsinogen, makes mice more susceptible to pancreatitis. The genetic mutation investigated in this study was described in patients with hereditary pancreatitis. A major goal of our laboratory is to model human disease in mice and use the mouse models to test new therapeutics.

Gastroenterology is the leading US journal in the gastroenterological sciences.

2) Alcohol-dependent effect of PRSS1-PRSS2 haplotype in chronic pancreatitis.

Gut 2020, 69:1-2. Hegyi E, Tóth AZ, Vincze Á, Szentesi A, Hegyi P, Sahin-Tóth M.

This paper describes the observation that a commonly found genetic risk factor that predisposes to pancreatitis has a larger effect in the context of chronic alcohol abuse. The findings confirm that genetic and environmental risks factors interact and amplify each other’s effect on disease development.

Gut is considered the top journal in the gastroenterological sciences.

3) Measuring digestive protease activation in the mouse pancreas.

Pancreatology 2020, 20:288-292. Mosztbacher D, Demcsák A, Sahin-Tóth M.

This is an important methodological paper that describes how to measure the activity of digestive enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin in the pancreas of mice. These digestive enzymes play important roles in the development of pancreatitis and routine and reliable measurement of their levels is a key experimental technique.

Pancreatology is the official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology and the European Pancreatic Club.

4) LIFEStyle, Prevention and Risk of Acute PaNcreatitis (LIFESPAN): protocol of a multicentre and multinational observational case-control study.

BMJ Open 2020, 10:e029660. Koncz B, Darvasi E, Erdősi D, Szentesi A, Márta K, Erőss B, Pécsi D, Gyöngyi Z, Girán J, Farkas N, Papp M, Fehér E, Vitális Z, Janka T, Vincze Á, Izbéki F, Dunás-Varga V, Gajdán L, Török I, Károly S, Antal J, Zádori N, Lerch MM, Neoptolemos J, Sahin-Tóth M, Petersen OH, Hegyi P.

This clinical study protocol originated from Peter Hegyi, Phd, Professor of Medicine, University of Pécs, Hungary. This publication lays out the parameters for LIFESPAN, an observational, multicenter, multinational case-control study to examine associations between socioeconomic factors, dietary habits, physical activity, chronic stress, sleep quality and acute pancreatitis. The Sahin-Toth lab was invited to contribute as part of an international board of advisers.

BMJ Open is an open access journal, dedicated to publishing medical research from all disciplines.

5) Ethanol feeding accelerates pancreatitis progression in CPA1 N256K mutant mice.

American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology 2020, 318:G694-G704. Orekhova A, Geisz A, Sahin-Tóth M.

Here, we investigated the interaction of genetic predisposition and environmental injury on the development of pancreatitis. In this study, a mouse model carrying a mutant digestive enzyme was fed an alcohol diet, which facilitated the progression of pancreas damage.

The American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology publishes papers on the physiology and mechanism that affect the liver and gastrointestinal system.

6) Inactivation of mesotrypsin by chymotrypsin C prevents trypsin inhibitor degradation.

Journal of Biological Chemistry 2020, 295:3447-3455. Toldi V, Szabó A, Sahin-Tóth M.

This biochemical study examined how one digestive enzyme (chymotrypsin C) regulates another (mesotrypsin) and how this impacts the development of pancreatitis. Our laboratory has a long track record in digestive enzyme biochemistry, and experiments like these formed the basis of our successful mouse model program.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry is a preeminent biochemical journal.

7) Channelopathy of the pancreas causes chronic pancreatitis.

Gastroenterology 2020, 158:1538-1540. Sahin-Tóth M.

This is an editorial on the recent discovery of TRPV6 mutations in patients with chronic pancreatitis. TRPV6 is a calcium channel found in the excretory ducts of the pancreas. Identification of new genetic risk factors is always exciting as these represent novel targets for therapeutic intervention.

Gastroenterology is the leading US journal in the gastroenterological sciences.

8) International Consensus Guidelines for Risk Factors in Chronic Pancreatitis.

Recommendations from the working group for the international consensus guidelines for chronic pancreatitis in collaboration with the International Association of Pancreatology, the American Pancreatic Association, the Japan Pancreas Society, and European Pancreatic Club.

Pancreatology 2020, 20:579-585 Hegyi P, Párniczky A, Lerch MM, Sheel ARG, Rebours V, Forsmark CE, Del Chiaro M, Rosendahl J, de-Madaria E, Szücs Á, Takaori K, Yadav D, Gheorghe C, Rakonczay Z Jr, Molero X, Inui K, Masamune A, Fernandez-Del Castillo C, Shimosegawa T, Neoptolemos JP, Whitcomb DC, Sahin-Tóth M; Working Group for the International (IAP – APA – JPS – EPC) Consensus Guidelines for Chronic Pancreatitis.

Consensus guidelines are important documents that guide clinical management and decision-making. Opinion leaders and experts in the field contributed to this paper that discusses risk factors for chronic pancreatitis.

Pancreatology is the official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology and the European Pancreatic Club.

9) Loss of chymotrypsin-like protease (CTRL) alters intrapancreatic protease activation but not pancreatitis severity in mice.

Scientific Reports 2020, 10:11731. Mosztbacher D, Jancsó Z, Sahin-Tóth M.

This study tested the role of a digestive enzyme (chymotrypsin-like protease) in pancreatitis using a novel mouse model deficient in this enzyme. The observations indicated that chymotrypsin-like protease does not play a significant role in the disease. Although this is considered a “negative study,” the findings are still important as they add to our growing knowledge on digestive enzyme function in health and disease.

Scientific Reports is an open access journal publishing original research from all areas of life sciences. It is part of the prestigious Nature Research journal family.

10) Lipotoxicity and cytokine storm in severe acute pancreatitis and COVID-19.

Gastroenterology 2020, 159:824-827. Hegyi P, Szakács Z, Sahin-Tóth M.

This paper is our contribution to understanding the science behind COVID-19. In this editorial, which also contains original data, we highlight similarities between severe COVID-19 and severe acute pancreatitis. Remarkably, the same toxic substances and immunological factors determine progression of both diseases.

Gastroenterology is the leading US journal in the gastroenterological sciences.

This article originally appeared in U Magazine, a publication of UCLA Health, David Geffen School of Medicine. The Centennial Campaign for UCLA Issue 2020’s theme was “Giving Matters – Visionary philanthropy shapes a new future for UCLA Health.” We are proud that our founder, Agi, is featured in a story about the Foundation’s commitment to never give up and the slow but steady progress towards a cure.

By Shari Roan • Illustration by Jenny Kroik
Originally published in UCLA Health’s U Magazine

In the competitive wholesale apparel business, Agi and Ronald Hirshberg would implement a new business idea and give it 18 months to bear fruit. If it wasn’t successful, they would pull the plug and move on. After Ronald died of pancreatic cancer in 1997 at age 54, Hirshberg focused that same determination on the effort to find a cure for the ravaging illness that took her husband’s life. “I had that business mentality,” Hirshberg recalls. “You begin, build inventory and sell it. I figured I’d give a little donation, and 18 months later there would be a cure for pancreatic cancer.”

However, the world of medical research is vastly different than that of apparel, and the time it takes to reach a breakthrough is measured in years, not months. Patience and resolve are necessary to sustain the effort. More than two decades later, a cure for pancreatic cancer is closer but still not in hand.

Hirshberg never thought of abandoning the fight. Her philanthropy established the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases, one of the nation’s leading centers focused on the disease, and she has funded scores of research projects through the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. “I am pleased and happy we’ve helped so many patients, but I don’t have the satisfaction of finishing the job just yet,” she says. “With my business mindset, I can’t take credit until the job is done. But I do feel that, within the next five years, we’ll have an early detection test for pancreatic cancer.”

Pancreatic cancer is among the most devastating cancer diagnoses. About 57,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease — often at a late stage — each year. The five-year survival rate is only nine percent, although the survival outlook for people diagnosed today is improving.

Agi and Ronald Hirshberg were in the small town of Portsmouth, N.H., when he became ill and was diagnosed with the disease. The couple returned to their home in Los Angeles and sought care at UCLA. Ronald had an inoperable tumor and, despite the best efforts of his physicians, he survived just eight months.

“My relationship with the doctors who took care of him was perfection,” Hirshberg says. “Their kindness, their caring was unforgettable. I felt UCLA really treated him so beautifully. After he passed, I called UCLA and said I wanted to support the pancreatic cancer program. They said they didn’t have a pancreatic cancer program. I said you have one now.”

Hirshberg’s efforts have helped fuel tangible progress in improving the care of patients with pancreatic cancer. She was an early advocate of seed grants, money to fund high-risk, high-reward research projects needed to find new and creative ways to crack the mysteries surrounding the disease. That research has resulted in a much better understanding of the molecular processes that steer the disease, promising work on early detection and improved surgical and chemotherapeutic treatments.

In choosing to direct her philanthropy to UCLA, Hirshberg says she “picked the right partner.” The UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases has set the highest bar for contemporary pancreatic cancer care. The center is home to an integrative-practice unit, a groundbreaking program that allows patients to receive an extensive evaluation and personalized treatment plan in one visit. “My determination never wavered,” she says. “What sustained me is that we kept going and improving. There were so many baby steps. I felt if we could not find an early detection test right this second, my next concern was the patient experience. Today, UCLA is one of the few integrative-practice units that provide the kind of services patients need, including the psychosocial portion that helps not only patients, but also caregivers.”

She says she is especially heartened by the efforts of top pancreatic cancer clinicians and researchers at UCLA and elsewhere who are collaborating to accelerate the pace of progress. And when it feels like things are still moving too slowly, she thinks about the annual LA Cancer Challenge, a run/walk held on the UCLA campus that benefits the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. The event reinvigorates her, Hirshberg says. “On that day, with all those people gathered who have the same wish as I do, I know our loved ones are up there watching,” she says. “Ronald and I were partners in life. We had pancreatic cancer together. We were fighting it together. Although he is gone, it has never occurred to me that I could stop.”

Dedication stories from families or friends who have been touched by pancreatic cancer show the resilience and courage of the human spirit. Loved ones dedicate their time and effort every day to fighting for a cancer-free future in honor of someone touched by this disease. Every journey helps pave the way to a cure.

By: Addie Carroll-Beal

My beloved husband Allen was a Tallahassee High School football star, Retired Army Paratrooper, Ranger, Veteran and community volunteer. Allen’s life journey reflected his leadership abilities and outstanding discipline in all that he accomplished. His community honored him as the true leader he was and asked him to lead the Veteran’s Day Parade as Grand Marshal, it drew thousands of people. His family and friends also came together for an Allen Beal 5K memorial in his hometown, Tallahassee, Florida. Allen faced pancreatic cancer with dignity and fought his battle with strength and grace until the end. We lost him to this disease in 2012.

I live for the cause of raising awareness with our Allen’s Army 5K and I continue to honor my beloved Allen’s request so that one day with early detection and ultimately finding a cure it will help save someone’s life.

In Loving Memory of my beloved husband Allen Beal, 1SG US Army,( Ret.) and step-father of T. Kevin Powells.

Stories from families & friends touched by pancreatic cancer often show the resilience and courage of the human spirit. Loved ones dedicate their time and effort every day to fight for a cancer-free future and every journey helps pave the way to a cure. Share your story, make a dedication and help raise awareness today.