In 2019, we attended the WPCC Annual Meeting in Miami for the first time. This was our initial exposure to the incredible work of the foundations that help pancreatic cancer patients and their families. As a result, we quickly realized that this type of foundation was also needed in Israel, where we have about 1,000 new pancreatic cancer patients every year. The Israeli Lavlav Foundation was established by a group of volunteers, all of whom have some connection to the disease.

These are the Lavlav Foundation’s main programs and resources:

Support group for patients: This group meets every week in-person or on Zoom, guided by a spiritual caregiver. This allows patients to share their feelings and experiences, aiming to provide patients with the strength to cope with the disease.

Support group for caregivers: This group was established following our understanding that the caregivers and families are also in need of support through this journey.

Hotline: Our hotline offers a listening ear, as well as direction and support for patients and caregivers.

Website: Our website offers a source of information about the disease, including symptoms and treatments of pancreatic cancer and insight aimed to help patients and families through their journeys. We also include dietary advice, inspirational stories from patients, a guide to social rights such as sick days and tax relief, and much more.

Community: We have built an online community of hundreds of participants, including both patients and caregivers, that serves as a platform for sharing information, asking questions, and supporting each other to ensure that no one feels alone.

Zoom meetings: Lavlav hosts monthly meetings with various pancreatic cancer professionals, including oncologists, surgeons, social workers, dietitians, and more. These meetings allow the participants to ask all of their relevant questions and acquire useful knowledge.

The Lavlav Foundation is based on donations and has no other financial support. This is our main limitation which we really want to overcome.

Our goal is to reach everyone that is affected by the disease in Israel and to offer them help and support.

We are eager to learn from other foundations and to implement their vast knowledge in Israel as well.

To learn more about the Lavlav (“LoveLove”) Foundation, visit their member page.