Dear Hirshberg Foundation Family,

On behalf of all of us at the Hirshberg Foundation, we hope this letter finds you safe and in good health. The past six months have not been easy for anyone, including businesses and non-profits. Normally, this time of year I would write to share our progress in research and news on grants we hope to fund. However, 2020 has caused us to pivot from our typical path. I am pleased, however, that I can share how well we have all adapted. Your donations and support have helped us thrive during these difficult times.

First, we’d like to share good news for our dedicated donors. Under the CARES Act of 2020, donors can now get a Federal Income Tax deduction for charitable contributions up to 100% off their Adjusted Gross Income. This opportunity is slated to end December 31, 2020 but it can be used in subsequent years as well. Please consult your tax advisor whether this option will work for you and share this information with family and friends who have or will support us this year.

I am also happy to share what a wonderful job our staff is doing imagining creative ways to keep us afloat. Our annual Symposium was quickly replaced in April with our new Patient & Caregiver Webinar Series.  Our wonderful UCLA doctors generously connected with our community on Zoom to discuss updates in chemotherapy, clinical trials, cannabis research, surgery and more. This has included mental health topics, from a nurse’s guide during treatment to the effects of positive thinking while battling pancreatic cancer. While each session was virtual, we enjoy seeing each face and every video is now available on our website.

Today in-person events are still not an option, but we have adjusted brilliantly with how we engage supporters. We’ve been busy organizing two virtual events. Our reimagined Tour de Pier was a success and the Virtual LA Cancer Challenge coming up on October 25th! I hope you will participate in the LACC wherever you are – its success and fundraising are fundamental to ending this disease. You and your loved ones can register today at www.lacancerchallenge.com.

I am humbled by your consistent support and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your “never give up” attitude while we search for the cure! The times we are living in are difficult for all of us, but our commitment to fight for a cancer-free life is a promise we will keep.

All the best,

Agi Hirshberg
Founder

For those who have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or have a loved one who has, you know all too well that it’s not just the patient whose life is immediately affected upon diagnosis. Although family members and close friends do their best to jump into high gear to help, the person who is thrust into the position of primary caregiver carries the bulk of the weight on their shoulders.

Caregiving can be filled with rewards and joy but it can also be overwhelming and exhausting. The caregiver is most often the spouse, child or a close friend that takes on the role of organizer, note taker, nurse, researcher, news central, housekeeper, cook, driver, cheerleader and so much more. Initially the pancreatic cancer patient has no idea what their needs will be and the caregiver is clueless as to what will be expected of them. Too often the role of caregiving lands on someone who feels ill-equipped to fill all of these necessary shoes. In some cases, the patient lives alone and there is no obvious caregiver to speak of.

Pancreatic cancer support groups in-person or online provide important supportive services but there are still basic needs that have to be met in the home and often, round the clock. This webinar will help guide the patient and caregiver to better understand and prepare for what lies ahead.

Dr. Annette Stanton joins us to present important information about how each person may be affected during this stressful time. Dr. Stanton’s research centers on identifying factors that help and hinder individuals as they adjust to health-related adversity. Her research tests theories of stress, coping and how individuals and couples confront cancer and other chronically stressful experiences. Her career has focused on answering questions such as, “when adults face profound and prolonged stressors, what factors enhance or impede their well-being and health?” and “how can research that specifies those factors be translated into approaches to enhance psychological and physical health outcomes during chronically stressful experiences?”

Annette L. Stanton, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry/Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles, a member of the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control Research in the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and senior research scientist at the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology. She is incoming Chair of the Department of Psychology and currently chairs the PhD program in health psychology. Through research, Dr. Stanton identifies factors that promote or impede psychological and physical health in adults and couples undergoing chronically stressful experiences, with a focus on the experience of cancers of the pancreas, breast, eye, and lung. She then translates her findings into action by developing and testing approaches to enhance psychological and physical health over the course of the cancer trajectory.

Learn more about Dr. Stanton’s PACES study and apply to be involved »

Watch Webinar

While the 23rd Annual LACC Walk/Run will be virtual, supporting our medical and research community is more important than ever. The Hirshberg Foundation is thrilled to announce our 2020 LA Cancer Challenge Honorary Medical Chair is Dr. O. Joe Hines! Dr. Hines is nationally renowned in the field of pancreatic surgery. He is the esteemed Chief of General Surgery at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and Director of the General Surgery residency Program. Dr. Hines is on the team of the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases and a member of the Hirshberg Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Hines is more than a doctor to his patients and countless families touched by pancreatic cancer. He is a part of our Foundation family, committed to our mission and dedicated to this community. He continues to be a guest speaker at our Annual Symposium on Pancreatic Cancer, speaking on topics from personalized medicine and tumor testing to advances in pancreatic surgery and a team approach for pancreatic cancer. He attends Agi Hirshberg’s intimate backyard BBQ event for patients and caregivers, spending time with people one-on-one to answer questions and listen to their stories. He has also attended the LACC as a member of the UCLA Surgery and Health Sciences Team, setting an example of how important it is to answer a call-to-action as both a doctor and a member of the LACC family.

We thank Dr. Hines for filling this important role as LACC Honorary Medical Chair and thank him for participating in our Virtual LACC Walk/Run on Sunday, October 25, 2020!

More about Dr. O. Joe Hines
Dr. Hines is the Chief of the Division of General Surgery at UCLA where he has served as a professor of surgery since 1997. Dr. Hines is a nationally renowned scholar in the areas of pancreatic surgery, complex abdominal surgery, and advanced laparoscopic surgery. As the Director of the General Surgery residency program at UCLA, Dr. Hines has overseen the training of a generation of young surgeons. A true master surgeon who has also authored over 200 scientific manuscripts and book chapters and whose research has been consistently funded by NIH.

It’s National Wellness Month – a perfect time to re-introduce self-care into our daily lives. As we all face extraordinary challenges in 2020, the Hirshberg Foundation is offering resources, webinars, fitness activities and tools to support your mind and body health. In August, we’ll share several topics that will inspire and motivate – here’s to a healthy August!

Resources for the Mind:

CANNABIS AND ONCOLOGY: WHAT DO WE KNOW?

Patient & Family Webinar Series

Join us on August 28th with Dr. Noah Federman to learn more about cannabis and oncology. In Dr. Federman’s clinical oncology practice, he uses cannabis and cannabinoid compounds as adjunctive therapies and has a keen interest in how they can help patients. He will share the science behind the many anecdotal stories in this ever-emerging field.

BREAKING UP WITH PANCREATIC CANCER: SURVIVOR STORIES

Patient & Family Webinar Series

Two incredible long-term survivors share their stories and tips for taking a wellness approach with pancreatic cancer. Wendy Hammers, an actress, speaker, and 5-year survivor leads a discussion alongside Marisa Harris, a life coach and 21-year, stage-4 pancreatic cancer survivor. Learn about setting your own healthy path and how to get yourself in the right mental space to tackle any life change during diagnosis and beyond.

COPING SKILLS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Tools and Tips During COVID-19

During this time of uncertainty, stress levels can skyrocket, especially for cancer patients. Emotional well-being is a critical piece of the healing process, so now, more than ever, it is essential to have coping skills. We turned to Elizabeth Cleary, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, to lead an interactive webinar.

MANAGING THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY

Symposium on Pancreatic Cancer

Dr. Annette Stanton, PhD, has significantly contributed to the Hirshberg Foundation’s Symposium for Pancreatic Cancer as a guest speaker. In her “Managing the Emotional Journey” Symposium video, she discusses how important it is to understand the emotional journey that cancer patients and loved ones experience once diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. As a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry/ Biobehavioral Sciences, Stanton has researched factors that promote or impede psychological and physical health in adults and couples undergoing chronically stressful experiences. She then translates her findings into action by developing and testing approaches to enhance psychological and physical health over the course of the cancer trajectory.

Resources for the Body:

COOKING HEALTHY WITH DR. LI

Cooking Class Video & Recipes

Symposium speaker Dr. Zhaoping Li, the Director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, and Chef Claire Hansen of Sur la Table gathered with survivors, caregivers and instructors cook up healthy recipes including Lemon-Barley Pilaf with Chicken and Thyme, Oven-Roasted Cod and Strawberry Smoothies. Before you start cooking these delicious recipes, check out our newest Purple E-Store item, a Never Give Up apron benefiting pancreatic cancer research!

TOUR DE PIER

Join Us for a Virtual Tour de Pier on September 13, 2020

Tour de Pier is back, in a whole new way! On September 13, 2020, we’re going virtual. Your registration will help ensure that our three charities can continue to provide crucial resources to those facing cancer. Plus, since we’re virtual, we have options to ensure that everyone can get involved.

23rd ANNUAL VIRTUAL LA CANCER CHALLENGE

Walk/Run Any Time, Place, or Pace you Choose

The 23rd Annual Virtual LA Cancer Challenge Walk/Run on Sunday, October 25th will now take place nationwide at any time, place or pace you choose! We’ve got plenty of resources & ideas to customize your participation, a Purple Spirit Kit to get festively purple, a Virtual FB Group to share ideas and Ambassadors to inspire and lead the way. Your commitment and passion to find a cure burns bright and our LACC walk/run is when we shine the brightest. Learn More about our virtual event resources and register today!

LEARN THE RISKS & SYMPTOMS OF PANCREATIC CANCER

People with certain risk factors may be more likely than others to develop cancer of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer symptoms are often barely noticeable or could be associated with other medical conditions. It is crucial that we all have a better understanding of how the pancreas functions, what puts those at higher risk, what all of the known risk factors include and the symptoms that could indicate cancer. We share these resources and tools in an effort to prevent and detect pancreatic cancer early.

HIRSHBERG TRAINING TEAM

Train for the LA Marathon, honor a loved one and cross the finish line

The iconic LA Marathon is a rewarding and memorable race experience as you run from Dodger Stadium to Century City’s Avenue of the Stars! Training is a commitment to your mental and physical health, a great reason to get active, and a priceless opportunity to honor a loved one and raise funds research and patient programs. Plus, we’ve got great fundraising prizes and HTT gear to help motivate you. With training options that fit event the busiest of schedules, there’s nothing stopping you from making the commitment to cross the finish line on Sunday, March 21, 2021. Register today!

At the Hirshberg Foundation we are committed to supporting the health and wellness of our patients. This National Wellness Month, help support these services benefitting the pancreatic cancer community by making a much-needed donation today!

Cannabis has been used as medicine for thousands of years across the globe. It was only in the early 20^th Century that regulations were put in place to classify it as an illegal substance in the United States. Cannabis was officially outlawed at the federal level in the US in 1970. With the passage of California’s Proposition 215 in 1996, cannabis for medical use has become increasingly popular. In 2012, states in the US began to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Today, there is more and more research being done to fully understand the medical and health benefits of cannabis.

For the cancer patient, cannabis has a number of potential benefits, especially in the management of symptoms. Many scientists and doctors tout the benefits of cannabis in managing the side effects of chemo and radiation therapies such as nausea, vomiting, pain, insomnia, and depression. The patients we are in contact with, often share how cannabis has helped them with various symptoms during and after treatment.

In a study presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), it was revealed that an overwhelming majority of oncologists strongly support and recommend the use of medical marijuana for cancer patients. The problem is that almost half of them feel they are not qualified to prescribe it as part of the treatment.

Dr. Noah Federman, who was first connected with the Hirshberg Foundation via the 3rd Annual UCLA Cannabis Research Symposium in 2019, specializes in cannabis and oncology. His clinical oncology practice uses cannabis and cannabinoid compounds as adjunctive therapies and has a keen interest in how they can help patients. After hearing his academic lecture on “Cannabis Use in Oncology” it was clear our pancreatic cancer community would benefit and appreciate hearing him present the latest information. Dr. Federman will share the science behind the anecdotal stories in this ever-emerging field.

Watch Webinar

The NIH (National Institute of Health) has created a map showing the U.S. states and territories that have approved the medical use of cannabis. Last updated: 03/23/2020

In addition to Dr. Noah Federman’s position as Director of the Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Program at UCLA, he is a faculty member of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative. The UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative(UCLA-CRI) is one of the first academic programs in the world dedicated to the study of cannabis.

While scientists are continuously working to better understand and treat pancreatic cancer, more energy is also going towards integrating a holistic approach that emphasizes active patient engagement with their well-being. Progress in the lab and through clinical trials is being made, but many patients and caregivers are still concerned with the mental attitude needed to tackle a cancer diagnosis.

We know that emotional health impacts over all well-being, so in our latest webinar, we turn to two long-term survivors who will share their tips for a wellness approach to pancreatic cancer. Wendy Hammers and Marisa Harris will explain how they learned to create the healthiest environment for themselves in order to have the best possible outcome pre-, during and post-treatment. They will discuss the importance of setting your own healthy path, tips and tools for moving forward and how taking charge can truly make a difference in the health and well-being of patients as well as their loved ones.

Wendy and Marisa met at a crucial point in Wendy’s pancreatic cancer treatment. Wendy will share how their journeys intersected and the importance of her relationship with “Coach Marisa.” Marisa is a 21-year, stage-4 pancreatic cancer survivor who also faced many choices the moment she was diagnosed. Her remarkable journey is an inspiration to anyone with a life-threatening health diagnosis. Marisa and Wendy will share more than just their stories, they offer the tools & tips they have both honed to lead healthy, happy lives where “cancer” is no longer center stage.

Wendy Hammers is an actress, speaker, dancer, published author, storyteller, producer, stand-up comic, foodie and creative community builder. She is also a 5-year pancreatic cancer survivor who took control early in her cancer journey to seek out healthy ways to live and to shine a positive light on this challenging time in her life. Wendy knew there had to be another component to battling cancer besides eating healthy and exercising.

Marisa Harris, a life coach and long-term cancer survivor who Wendy connected with early in her treatment. In 1998, Marisa was working at a Fortune 500 company when she was diagnosed with stage-4 pancreatic cancer and given 9 months to live. Refusing to accept this death sentence, she developed and implemented an integrative multidisciplinary healing program. She learned that healing takes place on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. To this day, Marisa is healthy and cancer-free. Marisa wholeheartedly believes in the transformational power of Integrative Coaching and now devotes her life to this work. She has coached hundreds of people who are in pain, in transition, or in an emotional malaise to a place of healing, passion, and joy.

Read Wendy’s 10 tenets on Breaking up with Cancer »

Watch Webinar