"The silent killer..."

I learned of some very sad news last week...my Aunt (one of my Dad's sisters), was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. My understanding is that the doctors initially thought it had been caught early enough to surgically remove the cancerous portion of her pancreas, but later discovered it had metastasized to her liver, making her condition inoperable, and likely untreatable. Apparently, pancreatic cancer is quite treatable when caught in the early stages. However, typically, it presents with very few symptoms, so it often goes undiscovered until it has spread. Thus, the name "the silent killer".

Please include her and the rest of my family in your prayers...

Our family, apparently, is no stranger to pancreatic cancer. My cousin, Michelle, died in 2006 at the age of 39 from pancreatic cancer. As far as I know, she had very few risk factors, she was young, healthy, and a runner. She learned of her cancer in January, and died in May. She has beautiful twins, who were not quite 18 months when she died (they were born the week before Lilly...) My great-aunt Melva (my dad's aunt) died in her 80's of pancreatic cancer, and my great-grandmother (my dad's grandmother) also died as a result of this cancer. I also had a great-uncle who died in his early 60's as a result of colon cancer.

So, worried, I turn to the internet...the trusty internet for some answers. I did find some valid information (deemed valid because several reputable internet sites reported similar information--Johns Hopkins, some cancer center in New York), which provided some information on Hereditary Pancreatic Cancer.

"Sweet," I think...I can find a little info, bring it to my doctor, and that will earn me at least yearly screenings so that if I develop this horrible illness, we can catch it and treat it.

Only to discover that there is no screening method for this cancer. There is research, and hopefully, one day in the future, there will be.

To further discover, that while it is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths (again, because it is generally untreatable), it is a cancer whose research is sorely under-funded...

So, I am more than a bit nervous. For myself, yes. But for my children. For my sister and brothers. For my nephews and niece. For my cousins and their families. For my dad. For my aunts and uncles. It is a tragic, tragic disease, and a horrible way to die.

On top of that, I am just sad for my aunt that she has to go through this. Please keep our family in your prayers, and consider donating to the research happening for the screening and treatment of pancreatic cancer

http://pathology.jhu.edu/pancreas/support.php