Pancreatic cancer awareness

Good article today about this.

This is a killer disease, easily one of the most deadly forms of cancer you can get. My mom died from it back in '99 as well as my dad's ex college roommate, who was the president of American University in Cairo.

Basically when they tell you you have it, you can make funeral arrangements. As I understand, it goes undetected until it's too late. Your pancreas is near your liver and spleen and usually tumors form in the head of the pancreas and quickly grab major blood supply from a nearby artery. From there it's very hard to remove and keep it away. Once it metastasizes to liver or lung you're in a losing battle.

Something needs to be done to combat this and any gifts you can give or awareness we can bring is certainly needed and appreciated by those of us who have known its horrors. My mom was in excellent health for her age when she got it, exercised, ate right, and wasn't overweight.

The doctors at Umass prolonged her life for quite a while, enabling her to make my wedding. They are creating a fellowship for research on the disease at Umass from the funds raised.

Roger Belhumer's place will be participating next week:

Participants and dates for this year’s Pansies for Progress campaign include:

Auburn: Bells Lawn and Garden, 201 Southbridge St., April 12 and 13.

Here's the pancreasalliance also.