National Cancer Prevention Month: How to Create Your Personal Cancer Prevention Plan

As the Hirshberg Foundation funds invaluable patient programs and research in prevention, early diagnosis, therapies and patient care, among these paths to eradicate pancreatic cancer, prevention is at the forefront. As shared by the CDC, preventative care options including blood tests, annual screenings, surveillance, and scans are all available for various cancers and diseases. The Hirshberg Foundation is eager to empower you and your loved ones with the tools you need to take control of your health and be proactive in your cancer prevention plan. As National Cancer Prevention Month comes to a close, we encourage you and your loved ones, especially if you are at high risk, to use the resources we’ve provided to create a prevention plan that will allow you to thrive.

Begin your prevention journey by taking a personal inventory of your health. In 2021, the National Institutes for Health, discussed the importance of Pancreatic cancer epidemiology: understanding the role of lifestyle and inherited risk factors. Rethinking certain lifestyle choices, documenting your family history, and assessing your risk factors could help set a foundation for a healthier future. Tackling modifiable risk factors (smoking, obesity, diabetes and pancreatitis) are just that, modifiable. Making the decision to quit smoking, maintaining or losing weight, preventing type 2 diabetes or pancreatitis are significant steps. Speak with your doctor about how to begin addressing these important health issues.

Over time, we have found that some communities are disproportionately affected by pancreatic cancer while genetics play an important role for others. Both are at high-risk and raising awareness is only the first step in addressing the issue. Whether you are of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry or have a family history of diabetes, pancreatitis, or pancreatic cancer, it’s important that we address these diseases before they become life threatening. Progress continues to be made in the field of pancreatic cancer as diagnostic blood and saliva tests are in development, but our ultimate goal is to offer a cancer-free future. After 25 years of fighting this disease on many fronts and sharing the facts, we remain confident that we are getting closer and closer to reaching this goal.

Learn how you can support our efforts and make a donation for cancer prevention today!