In 2012, Gerri Weiner joined the Hirshberg Foundation community after her father was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. That year, she walked in the LA Cancer Challenge not as a patient, but as a loving daughter and caregiver, hoping for answers, connection, and hope.
Nearly a decade later, in 2021, life came full circle. During a routine CT scan for an unrelated issue, Gerri received news that changed everything: doctors had spotted a shadow on her pancreas. With no symptoms and a normal CA19-9 level, the diagnosis came as a shock, especially given her family history.
Within three weeks, Gerri underwent a successful Whipple surgery. Four weeks later, she began a six-month chemotherapy regimen of FOLFIRINOX. Now, nearly four years post-surgery, she’s graduated to yearly checkups, and her scans are “unremarkable,” a word she now embraces with deep gratitude.
“Sometimes it feels like my pancreatic cancer journey never happened,” Gerri shares. “But I’ll never forget the village that got me through it: my husband, my kids, my family, my friends, and the Hirshberg Foundation. It really does take a village.”
This year, Gerri will return to the LA Cancer Challenge, this time as a survivor and the 2025 Honorary Starter. She’s a vibrant reminder that early detection, groundbreaking research, and community support can lead to brighter outcomes.
Her message is one of resilience, progress, and unwavering hope: “Lean on your people. Trust your doctors. Believe in your strength. And know that you’re not alone.”
To those just beginning their pancreatic cancer journey, and to every caregiver walking beside them, Gerri’s story is a beacon. The number of survivors who are living, breathing, and thriving is growing. And thanks to people like Gerri, so is the belief that change is not just possible, it is already happening.
