We can't stop now -- A message from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

When most people think of November, they think of voting on the first Tuesday of the month and celebrating Thanksgiving with their families on the last Thursday of the month.  But if you or a loved one has been touched by pancreatic cancer, you probably know that November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. You also know that there is so much to do and accomplish between when we vote and when we give thanks.

That mindset is especially true this month, after a new group of Senators and Representatives have been elected to office. Do they know that pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths? Do they know that a lack of dedicated federal research funding has resulted in little movement on finding a cure? Do they know that there are no tools to make early diagnoses, too few effective treatments and that the 6% survival rate five years after a diagnosis has not changed significantly during the past forty years?

Do they know they have the power to change these tragic statistics? Do they realize that with one vote, they can offer real hope to pancreatic cancer patients everywhere by supporting the development of a national strategy to find a cure? Do they know they can play a critical role in passing the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S. 3320/H.R. 745)?

As advocates, our role is to lead the way and educate them all on this lifesaving issue. I'm writing to urge you to stand up and let the new Congress know why it is so urgent to know more about pancreatic cancer and take legislative action to pave the way to a cure through the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act.

In the months leading up to National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, thousands of you have watched videos and read moving personal stories from survivors, researchers and family members who have told their own hero stories about pancreatic cancer. Many of you have also urged people to become heroes in the fight against pancreatic cancer by heightening awareness and raising their voices in demanding action on more research, more treatments and more hope for patients.

The support has been tremendous and consistent. You've done a lot, but we need to ask you to do two more things in your role as a hero in the fight against pancreatic cancer.

Go to www.knowitfightitendit.org to watch a new video from your Congressional champions about the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act. You'll hear U.S. Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) talk about why federal funding for pancreatic cancer research is so important and why their colleagues, who are your Members of Congress, need to hear from you.

Their message is clear—we've come a long way, but we can't stop now.

Encourage your newly elected federal officials to take heroic action. Go to www.knowitfightitendit.org and click on the orange button marked "Contact your Elected Officials". Send them an email and let them know about the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act. Let them know about the power they hold to save thousands of lives. We've written the email for you and the rest is simple. Just add your personal story about why making pancreatic cancer research a national priority is so important to you.

Take action today. Go to www.knowitenditfightit.org, click on the button marked "Contact Your Elected Officials", and be a hero.

Thank you for your continued support,


Julie Fleshman
President and CEO
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network