My Story is about my dad, Don Anderson

This event took place from 6/01/2014 to 5/13/2015

The Discovery

June 1, 2014 my healthy 53 year old daddy had his first pain. The night before, he played in a garage band with a couple of his buddies and they had a great night playing for friends. Absolutely nothing was wrong. That changed in an instant. At the ED, we heard the words that changed our lives forever “a mass on the pancreas”. The hospital took a biopsy and didn’t get any positive cells so they said they had mistakenly diagnosed this and it was pancreatitis. They sent him home with suggestions on how to prevent flair ups. In the 3 months after that, he was in pain on and off where they diagnosed him with diabetes, did multiple ERCPs and a total of 7 tests before getting a positive cell.

This is My Story

At the end of August 2014, my boyfriend walked into my parents’ house to ask for my hand in marriage about 5 minutes after the doctor called him to deliver the news of the positive cells. We traveled back to Duke to meet with the surgeon with a surgery date 3 weeks away. September 10, 2014, my dad had the Whipple surgery done and a vein resection also had to be done. The surgeon told us the tumor was large and aggressive, adenocarcinoma. The surgeon told us there was a 90% chance, he would not make it. When this news was told to my dad, his response was I have a 10% chance. I can do this. He set the record for the fastest discharge after a Whipple at Duke. September 28, 2014, I got engaged and I knew I wanted to quickly get married because of his diagnosis. Friday, November 14, 2014 the day before my wedding, my mom called me and said my dad’s surgical incision had split open overnight and they were at Duke and his surgical oncology team wanted him to be admitted. It was important to my dad to be at my wedding, unfortunately I think we all knew what was ahead for him. They temporarily patched him up and sent him house with strict orders to come back to the hospital on Monday morning. We got married on November 15, 2014 and in the 2 months from my dad’s surgery to my wedding day, he lost so much weight and began to look so weak.
The radiation left him in so much pain and the chemotherapy pill that he took caused him nausea and vomiting daily. March 2015, the ascites started and my dad started going to the hospital twice a week to get it drained. We knew this was bad but we didn’t give up fighting for him and with him. By April 2015, he was so weak he could barely walk and he went back to the hospital where they admitted him and eventually sent him home on hospice. A former college football player, 54 years old now on his death bed. We watched him waste away into nothing but bones.  My brother, my mom, my husband, and I spent every day soaking up every moment we could with him. On May 13, 2015 my husband and I closed on our first home and I immediately went back to my parents’ house when we were finished. Less than an hour later, my daddy peacefully passed away with my mom, my brother, the hospice nurse, and myself by his side. 6 days before that, I asked him if he was ever scared through any of this. He told me no and that’s why having a strong faith is important. He told he was tired and he was ready to go. He told me all he ever wanted in life was to be a good husband, a good father, and a good provider. I assured him he had reached all his goals. He told me one day I was going to be a good mom. I found out I was pregnant 2 weeks later and my daughter which would have been my dad’s first grandchild was born exactly 8 months after he passed. My brother is now married to my dad’s hospice nurse. In the next 5 years, my dad’s 4 grandchildren were born. I have two girls and my brother a boy and a girl. We watched our dad be a father figure to so many people and he loved his friend’s grandchildren so much, it is devastating that pancreatic cancer took being a grandparent away from him. Losing my dad at 24 years old shifted my life in a way I will never recover from. My brother and I have each suffered with mental health struggles in the years since his death. Pancreatic cancer took the strongest man we have ever known and who we counted on.

The Impact of Time

If we just had more time, I wouldn’t have lost my dad less than 6 months after I was married. If we just had more time, I wouldn’t have planned my dad’s funeral at 24 years old. If we just had more time, he would have got to meet his first grandchild, my daughter, born exactly eight months after he passed away. If we just had more time, he would have been able to retire and live out his dream of moving to the beach.

My Story is about My story is myself

This event took place from 10/10/2019 to 11/15/2023

The Discovery

It was discovered by my Gastro Doctor and my persistent. Because my oldest sister Gloria passed away from pancreatic cancer over 25 years ago because the doctors could not find out what was her problem was until it was too late and when they did it was stage 4. So it has always been on mind.
We both suffer with stomach issues. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis 4 years ago and I had the dr to check.my pancreas at that time and we found nothing. The pain started again on October 2019 and I ask my Gastro Dr. to send me some antibiotics for.7 days and the pain was still there so she decided to run more tests. I insisted that she check my pancreas again and there it was a spot on the tail of my pancreas. My doctor referred me to a surgeon who had performed surgery and removed my spleen, gallbladder and the tail of the pancreas. It was stage 1. I had to have 6 months of aggressive chemo and 6 weeks of radiation. I was treated like I had stage 4. Presently, I am Cancer Free and every 4 months I have to have a CAT scan done. Please listen to your body and be persistent with your Doctors. Make them dig in and find out whatever your problems may be. My sister had to die for me to live. I didn’t give up on me.

This is My Story

Listen and know your body.

The Impact of Time

Because of my sister having pancreas cancer it stayed on my mind and I was able to catch it in the early stage. My outlook has changed the way I look at and paid close attention toy body. It seems that after you have cancer you are always thinking something is going on with your body. So I have to been positive and remind myself that I am okay. I am.so blessed that God spared my lift and I feel that I have to share my story to help someone else. I am so glad that we are focusing on pancreatic cancer to detect it in its early stage. It can been done.

My Story is about Me: Eric Borden

This event took place from 06/15/2017 to 08/14/2017

The Discovery

My story begins with bloodwork testing every three months for liver functions due to statin use. My liver enzymes were elevated for a few prior tests and my PCP tried to determine why. Off statins? Didn’t help. Hep C test? Didn’t show anything….He was confused. Throwing up his hands, he said, “Go for a CT scan. You never know what you may find.”

After the CT, I received a call one week later from someone in my PCP’s office. “Mr. Borden, The scan shows a lesion on your pancreas and it’s suggested you come back in one year to check it.” I phoned my GI who immediately schedules an EUS ultimately confirming an adenocarcinoma. Successful Whipple surgery was performed at Johns Hopkins by Dr. Christopher Wolfgang and Dr. Jin Hei on August 14, 2017. I’m a six year survivor!

My story is this: Be your own advocate! My PCP never reviewed my scan. That’s another story! But if I didn’t advocate for myself I wouldn’t be here writing this summary.

This is My Story

“Yes, I’m calling with your CAT scan results. You have a cystic lesion on your
pancreas of 1.7cm and we recommend follow up in one year.”

After receiving that phone call I immediately said “no way.” With results forwarded to my GI, he suggested an endoscopy with ultrasound to take a closer look. During that procedure and biopsy, it was discovered that I had a 95% chance of having a malignant tumor on my pancreas. I researched the best possible scenario and medical/surgical team ultimately deciding to go to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for my surgery. Successful Whipple surgery was conducted on August 14 and I’m on the road to recovery with a six month chemo stint on the horizon.

Here’s the kicker: Because I was my own advocate my disease was caught very early. Imagine if I had listened to my internist and waited the year. You wouldn’t be reading about this topic nor would you possibly be reading about this next year! I took it upon myself to control my own health direction. Becoming your own advocate and knowing what would be best for you helps you direct your life in your own best interests. Becoming either complacent or relying on others’ opinions and directions may not be the best course of action for your life. Do what your instincts tell you. Don’t be shy about speaking up and taking control of
your particular situation.

You’re the most important person to you. Do your due diligence. You know yourself best. Trust your instincts and go with them and when it doesn’t feel right.

The Impact of Time

“Time is of the essence” seems so simple and obvious now. As I mentioned, if I did not immediately become my own advocate, I most likely would not be writing this summary. Time and my own self advocacy has given me time to continue to do the things I love, both personally and with my family. Time has also allowed me to add more time helping others.

For years I have been involved with many Pancreatic Cancer organizations and events…..PanCAN, Lustgarten, AFFPC, Project Purple, appearing on various news outlets to name a few, and volunteering at cancer centers to engage and help patients and their families go through the tough fight of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. My message is this: “In business, hope is not a strategy. When dealing with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, hope is the most important strategy to have!” None of this would have happened if my time was cut short.

My Story is about Bernadette Lowe, my brother Mark Bishop, cousin Peter, friends Annie,Virginia and others

This event took place from 03/01/2016 to 11/23/2022

The Discovery

It was too late for my brother. In 2016 he went in for surgery but it was too advanced and he died 16 weeks later. They hadn’t given him a definitive diagnosis up to that point. He was 48.
I was diagnosed eventually after having a sense something wasn’t right in my body. This was 2019, it recurred this year in my lung.
Ultrasound, CT scan, eventually found lesion with MRCP after much pushing and a surgeon who listened. Diagnosed with Endoscopic Ultrasound biopsy of the tumour. Unfortunately not a cyst.
My cancer this year was found on routine surveillance ct scan however in hindsight was overlooked for 12 months.

This is My Story

I’m 57 and in Jan 2022 moved to the Adelaide Hills for a fresh start. I have a loving husband and 2 amazing children who are actually young adults.
I am 1 of 6 siblings. My brother Mark died of pancreas cancer in 2016, he was 48, adored father of 4, 16 weeks from diagnosis to when he died.
It shattered our world.

My 1st cousin Peter also died of pancreatic cancer while he was young also. In 2019 his ex girlfriend died of same disease.

I had this sense of dread after she died that didn’t go away so I told my doctor something was wrong in my body. Ultrasound and CT showed slightly dilated pancreatic duct. MRCP found a “lesion” ? Cyst ? Tumour but only tiny. Endoscopic Ultrasound and biopsy confirmed it to be cancer. Our world was shocked that this could happen to our family again. Chemo, Whipples and more chemo and I was given the all clear. I thought it was too good to be true that I could be so lucky and I felt guilt. Surveillance CTs every 3 months, 6 months until in June 2022 a tumour was found in my lung. Biopsy confirmed it to be metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Our world had already been shattered and shocked, this time we had no words. I’m still well with no symptoms but the chemo is knocking my bone marrow around because of the amount I’ve had in the past.
I’m on a clinical trial which has shown some success so it would be devastating if I can’t continue because the drugs have accumulated and become toxic. I’ve attributed my healing and positive outlook to the love and support of family and friends. And meditation, appreciation, mindfulness, prayers, healings, visualisation, kiniseology, yoga, walking, NLP etc etc.
My parents have already lost 2 sons and one sister had breast cancer, it’s cruel for them at 87 & 89 to have to go through such heartbreak when they are already do unwell themselves.

I never lost my hair in 2019 but it was disastrous this year resulting in a wig named Raquel. Then the eyebrows and eye lashes! In this time a dear friend was also diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer but unfortunately it was very complex and she passed away after 8 weeks. I have another dear friend battling this disease at the same time, and another and I’ve known several others who have also died of this insidious disease.
There’s just too much of it around. I’ve had genetic testing to no avail. And I guess my frustration is that why is there no research on why this is happening, researching environment, diet, etc etc
You’ve all heard the story of Erin Brokovich well imagine if something could be identified and managed the other end instead of waiting for it to happen and then all we have is chemotherapy which had its limitations.

The Impact of Time

Every day is a gift and I don’t know how many lessons i need in life to be reminded of this because we just get on that cycle of life, of being, doing, business even with cancer treatments.
So daily meditation and gratitude’s and appreciation help ground me. Trust your instinct and make sure you keep telling the Dr something isn’t right until they listen or seek another opinion. It’s so often overlooked and not the first thing they look for when it should be. Back pain and just a nightly tummy every now and then are common symptoms of pancreas cancer and overlooked again and again,