By Ashley Kahrs

In October 2011, my mother, Audrey, was placed in the hospital for having a severe gallbladder attack. It was so infected the doctors made the decision to remove it. My mom had lost 15 pounds, was jaundiced and anemic and was getting worse every day. After spending over a month in the hospital post-surgery, her symptoms were finally getting better. My siblings and niece celebrated her birthday in the small hospital room. Finally she was well enough to have the all the pre-op tests and what they found was shocking.

Thanksgiving morning 2011 my phone woke me up a bit after 6:30 a.m. My father, Anthony, was calling me, “Hi sweetheart. I need to tell you something. Mom has cancer. It’s pancreatic…” My heart dropped and the world around me was gone. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I screamed and burst into tears. I hung up the phone and balled my eyes out in my husband Andrew’s arms before I told him the news. We got out of bed and threw on whatever clothes we could find. Driving to the hospital, which was 5 minutes away, was a blur of emotions.

When we walked into my mom’s room and she saw us we all started to cry. I crawled into my mom’s hospital bed and just hugged her. I couldn’t let her go. The room was filled with sadness and some other undeterminable emotion. I now know that the emotion was the will to fight, to survive and beat this horrible cancer. Shortly after my brother, Scott, sister-in-law, Kerstin, and niece Jeanina filled the room with love and support. As a family we discussed the next steps to take. Doctor after doctor came in to talk to us about what they recommended. Everyone agreed she would need a surgery called “The Whipple,” which would remove the cancer, part of her pancreas, and the surrounding lymph nodes.

Kerstin had just had a very dear friend go through this exact same type of cancer and recommended my mother be transferred to UCLA Medical Center where she could receive proper treatment. My mom was accepted into their pancreatic cancer program and would be under the experienced care of Dr. Timothy Donahue. As you could expect my mom and dad were so thankful. My mother now had a fighting chance. That night my brother picked up Thanksgiving dinner and as a family we celebrated what we were thankful for: finding the cancer, getting into UCLA and our family being such a strong support system for one another. During a time of tragic news here we sat laughing and smiling like it was just another day, just in a hospital setting.

In December 2011, my mother was transferred to UCLA where she would be treated with the highest care possible. In a few weeks’ time, with her health improving, they would go ahead and remove the cancer tumor. Soon it was the big day, time to remove the cancer. The Whipple would take about 6 hours and was very high risk. Eight hours later Dr. Donahue came down stairs to find my family and let us know the news. The tumor was larger than they originally thought but they were able to remove the cancer. As of that moment mom had a great chance of surviving. Her life changed forever that day.

The past year my mother went through numerous rounds of chemo and radiation, suffered an umbilical hernia in two locations, has been on more medications that I can even remember. She has had test after test, CT scans, PET scans, weekly or daily doctor’s visits and through it all has never given up. I am pleased to say Audrey Ann Everts, wife, mother, friend is cancer free. She fought a hard long battle, went through hell and back a couple of times. My mom is my hero. I don’t know many people who could survive what she has.

After losing not one but both of his parents to pancreatic cancer, Brad Dal Bon has been fighting this disease in memory of his parents for years. This time however, he’s taking the last swing! It’s been twelve years since the loss of his mother Merrilee in 2000 at the age of 51 and his father Jim only eight years later in 2008 at 61 years old. Brad has seen what pancreatic cancer can do to a dearly loved one, not once but twice. “The golf tournament is a way to raise money to fight pancreatic cancer and to keep a constant reminder of how much my parents mean to me,” says Brad.

The Annual Dal Bon Memorial Golf Tournament has raised $20,000 to date for the Hirshberg Foundation and it continues to be a great success. “The Hirshberg Foundation gives their donated funds directly to research to end pancreatic cancer and this year we raised over $4,000.” This year Brad, along with his loved ones and members of his community, gathered together on the lavish lawns of the Ridge Country Club in Auburn California. It was a day of golf, friends, family, and fun. Brad worked hard to create a brand new website, secured a new golf course, and more importantly he experienced “a renewed energy for the tournament.” Participants of the Dal Bon Memorial Golf Tournament obviously felt that new energy as well because on this particular Saturday in August they faced 104 degrees of sweltering heat! Now, if you’re familiar with golf you know that golfers like to get on the green when it’s as cool as possible. But Jim and Merrilee’s son is committed to the cause and so are his loved ones so they persevered and had a blast! “Our golfer turn out has remained consistent and people have told me directly that it’s the best fundraising tournament they have played in. That is a huge compliment to everyone involved who helps us. Brad’s commitment to honor his parents through this event has motivated him and has inspired members of the community and businesses to pitch in. “Various raffle items have been donated and a lot of money has come in through those generous gifts. We have really been able to streamline the event over the course of four years. This was our best year ever.”

Next year, thanks to an idea from a volunteer, they plan to have a local doctor on the course before the event to explain the body’s anatomy and discuss their in depth knowledge of pancreatic cancer with attendees. “We’ll be hosting the 5th annual Dal Bon Memorial in 2013. It is going to be our best yet. Come on up to beautiful Northern California and join us!”

Visit www.teamdalbon.org today for more information the Dal Bon Memorial Golf Tournament. Join our sponsors for 2013 or sign-up as a participant. Follow us on Twitter @teamdalbon and “like” our Facebook page.

Remember proceeds support the Hirshberg Foundation. You Make a Difference!

Prior to losing his battle to pancreatic cancer, Andy Peek was president of the largest video marketer of livestock across the western United States and was loved by thousands from the rancher community. Andy’s siblings continue to operate the family ranching business that was started by Ellington and Betty Peek in 1948. The message below is from Andy’s friend and fellow cowboy Herb Holzapfel, who is committed to our cause for the cure!

When I lost my friend Andy Peek to pancreatic cancer, I made a pledge to offer one animal to be sold at the Western Video Market sale in Reno every year until they find a cure. All of the proceeds go to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research at UCLA. Each year, the animal would be the first pick of 200 bull calves or a heifer that I raise, whichever the highest bidder prefers. Thanks to the generosity of ranchers, since 2009 we have raised $74,000. The Peeks are wonderful people and they were surprised when I offered my idea, and they’re still surprised every year when I say, “Well, they have not found the cure yet, so here is another bull!” It’s a self-serving pledge because pancreatic cancer is a silent killer, and it could be me, it could be someone in my family. I made the pledge to help because I liked Andy Peek so much, and I did it out of love for the Peek family. I want the disease that took him from all of us to be stopped!        

My dad, Paul Hughes, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April, 2000. He passed away less than three months later. At 68 my dad lived a healthy life, ate well, swam, played basketball and was very active, even up until his diagnosis. We were in shock when they told us this was Stage IV with metastases in his liver. He ended up transferring his care to UCLA where we found that surgery was not an option – only chemotherapy. He had four rounds of chemotherapy, but the tumors only ended up doubling.

I became a different person. I was mad and angry! I met with Agi Hirshberg and immediately felt a connection. I jumped in with my whole heart and would do ANYTHING they needed help with. Volunteering became my therapy and passion. Early on I was actively involved with the then-annual golf tournament, and every year since I have been in charge of the Chance Drawing Booth at the LA Cancer Challenge. This is one of the best weekends of the year for me. At the end of the day my blood is pumping as I go up onto the stage and announce the prize winners! For me, the day is filled with happiness and sadness, tears and laughter as I watch thousands of people come together to honor and remember those who have been touched by this horrible disease. The physicians, patients, friends and families that participate are all there together working towards the common goal of the cure!

Volunteering is my way of being a part of this battle. The absolute best thing about feeling connected with the Hirshberg Foundation family is the love and support that I receive.I appreciate the support the Hirshberg Foundation gives back to me and thousands of others, like myself, who want to do more. As I said before, volunteering has become my therapy. Spending time with others who have been touched by pancreatic cancer means that I am not alone in this fight! I am committed to doing whatever the Foundation needs in their relentless passion to find a cure for pancreatic cancer!!!

By Lisa Boughton

My mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2010. She had not been feeling well for a few weeks. Finally, my father noticed that she was jaundiced. He called his doctor, who then asked my mom a few questions. After that telephone conversation my dad rushed her to the ER, where we would get the diagnosis that changed our lives forever.

I had only known one other person who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Quickly and painfully he also lost his battle with this horrible disease. I have to admit I never thought of or really heard about this disease before then. Little did I know it would creep into my life again, affecting me forever.

The irony in all of this is that my mother was a nurse. She spent ten years as an oncology nurse at the same hospital where her Whipple procedure was eventually performed. She survived the surgery, two weeks in the hospital, and one round of chemo. We only got five months. The cancer spread to her liver. My mom, my hero, died on November 27, 2010 at just 64 years old.

Anyone who reads this knows how devastating this disease is. I watched her suffer, yet she never let on how much pain she was in. Was that because she was a nurse, had seen people die of cancer and knew what was coming? Did she want to spare us more grief and pain than we already had? Knowing her, the answer is “yes” to all of the above. I would ask her every day, “How are you feeling today mom?” She always replied “so-so”. I could tell she was putting on a brave face. She never complained; never let it get the best of her. She refused our help, whether it was bathing, getting up and down stairs, or urging her to take the pain meds she so desperately needed.

My friend Kelly found the Hirshberg Foundation online and directed me to the website. It has been a God send. In lieu of flowers, we directed that donations be sent to the Hirshberg Foundation and to date we have raised $870.00. In doing so, it was my hope that more people would become aware of pancreatic cancer. I hope and pray that someone else can be spared the pain and devastation this disease inflicts on families and patients alike.

I started volunteering for the Hirshberg Foundation because Agi asked me to help with the first run event back in 1999 – The Adidas Three Stripe Challenge. I showed up early and was assigned to help with registration. Agi came by, took my hand, led me to the tee shirt and pledge prize booth and said “We need you to help here – make it work!” And so I did. After all these years, I am still on the LACC Planning Committee. Running the T-Shirt & Pledge Prize Booth is still my gig, and is affectionately referred to as Martin’s Booth.

The best part about being on the planning committee is getting there the morning of the run (at 5:00 a.m.!) and knowing that the event is about to start after all of the planning, meetings and hard work. The energy builds and builds – it is always a great day. Personally exciting for me this past year was the new and improved Gift Bag/Tee Shirt/Pledge Prize/Info Booth. It is always a challenge to successfully help and service all of the wonderful runners and walkers and this was the first big re-vamp in over ten years. We got great feedback on the new set-up and location and all went well. I am already thinking and planning for the 2011 LACC.

In 2008, the year I was turning 49 years old, I joined the Hirshberg Training Team and completed my first 13.1 mile race, The Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville, TN. It was a challenging goal to set for myself, but I did it and got great donations too. I am committed to volunteer for the Hirshberg Foundation as long as they need me. I am in it until there is a cure for Pancreatic Cancer. Agi is committed to find the cure and so am I.

The best part of volunteering for the Hirshberg Foundation is that I am helping with a great foundation that is doing great things. I know that my time and efforts help the foundation with their mission to find a cure for Pancreatic Cancer.