Volunteer Highlight - Julie A. Murtha, November Awareness Chair, Western New York Affiliate
On Thursday, November 29, 2007, my husband Danny became jaundiced. He made an appointment the next day with our primary doctor, and a CT scan showed a mass on the head of his pancreas. The following Monday, an endoscope confirmed he had pancreatic cancer and the race was on to find the best surgeon to perform the Whipple procedure to give him a fighting chance to beat this cancer. Unfortunately, the Whipple went wrong and he lost any quality of life until the day he passed away on Monday, September 10, 2008.
During Danny's journey, I searched for information or resources for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The only resource I found was PanCAN. At that time, PanCAN was a small grassroots organization, and Pamela Acosta Marquardt and Julie Fleshman personally spoke with those looking for help. I am forever grateful for their compassion and support in my efforts to best take care of Danny.
After Danny passed away, I desperately wanted to get involved with PanCAN and begin a Buffalo chapter. It took me many years to be able to control my emotions before I would be in a position to help others without breaking down every time I spoke about Danny. I was therefore, thrilled to learn that Lynne Jakubowski had the courage to begin a WNY Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Lynne has developed a vital and growing affiliate with the help of so many Western New Yorkers who have been touched by this deadly disease.
For the last few years, l have had the privilege of being the November Awareness Chair for our Affiliate. Lynne suggested this would be a good role for me to start my involvement, and she was right. In contacting our local organizations, companies and businesses to light up the night in PURPLE on World Pancreatic Cancer Day (WPCD), I believe that if we can touch and help just one person diagnosed with this cancer, we will have succeeded. On WPCD, we have been fortunate to have three local bakeries, with multiple locations, support our efforts to spread PanCAN's November Awareness efforts by baking purple frosted donuts all over Western New York. To show our appreciation to some of our supporters, I drive around town and drop off boxes of purple donuts. I'd attach a photo from last November, but I ate them all before I could take a picture.
Personally, the main reason I stay involved with PanCAN is to keep Danny's memory alive. And to comfort other patients and caregivers facing cancer. And now, my daughter and son have tested positive to be at a high risk for pancreatic cancer. PanCAN's resources for early detection, Know Your Tumor®, medical care, Patient Services, etc., are so much more advanced than when my husband was diagnosed. I believe he would have had a fighting chance with the advancements of today. PanCAN definitely gives HOPE. And hope is what we need.
Given how closely the disease has touched my life, I think people may be surprised by my passionate involvement in PanCAN. And I hope that would inspire others to get involved.
2021's November Awareness Patient Champions campaign is vitally important for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When told you have pancreatic cancer, your world just stops and you don't know where to turn. If medical or clinical professionals are involved in our PanCAN Patient Champions program, they can highly recommend their patients contact PanCAN Patient Services. \PanCAN Patient Services can offer immediate free personalized resources, support, information and most importantly, HOPE.
As PanCAN November Awareness volunteers, it is our responsibility to acknowledge Patient Champions and encourage them to continue in the program. Also, we need to reach out to other local pancreatic cancer specialists and encourage them to become involved in this program. PanCAN Patient Champions could have a huge, positive impact for the pancreatic cancer community. They could save a life!
During Danny's journey, I searched for information or resources for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The only resource I found was PanCAN. At that time, PanCAN was a small grassroots organization, and Pamela Acosta Marquardt and Julie Fleshman personally spoke with those looking for help. I am forever grateful for their compassion and support in my efforts to best take care of Danny.
After Danny passed away, I desperately wanted to get involved with PanCAN and begin a Buffalo chapter. It took me many years to be able to control my emotions before I would be in a position to help others without breaking down every time I spoke about Danny. I was therefore, thrilled to learn that Lynne Jakubowski had the courage to begin a WNY Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Lynne has developed a vital and growing affiliate with the help of so many Western New Yorkers who have been touched by this deadly disease.
For the last few years, l have had the privilege of being the November Awareness Chair for our Affiliate. Lynne suggested this would be a good role for me to start my involvement, and she was right. In contacting our local organizations, companies and businesses to light up the night in PURPLE on World Pancreatic Cancer Day (WPCD), I believe that if we can touch and help just one person diagnosed with this cancer, we will have succeeded. On WPCD, we have been fortunate to have three local bakeries, with multiple locations, support our efforts to spread PanCAN's November Awareness efforts by baking purple frosted donuts all over Western New York. To show our appreciation to some of our supporters, I drive around town and drop off boxes of purple donuts. I'd attach a photo from last November, but I ate them all before I could take a picture.
Personally, the main reason I stay involved with PanCAN is to keep Danny's memory alive. And to comfort other patients and caregivers facing cancer. And now, my daughter and son have tested positive to be at a high risk for pancreatic cancer. PanCAN's resources for early detection, Know Your Tumor®, medical care, Patient Services, etc., are so much more advanced than when my husband was diagnosed. I believe he would have had a fighting chance with the advancements of today. PanCAN definitely gives HOPE. And hope is what we need.
Given how closely the disease has touched my life, I think people may be surprised by my passionate involvement in PanCAN. And I hope that would inspire others to get involved.
2021's November Awareness Patient Champions campaign is vitally important for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When told you have pancreatic cancer, your world just stops and you don't know where to turn. If medical or clinical professionals are involved in our PanCAN Patient Champions program, they can highly recommend their patients contact PanCAN Patient Services. \PanCAN Patient Services can offer immediate free personalized resources, support, information and most importantly, HOPE.
As PanCAN November Awareness volunteers, it is our responsibility to acknowledge Patient Champions and encourage them to continue in the program. Also, we need to reach out to other local pancreatic cancer specialists and encourage them to become involved in this program. PanCAN Patient Champions could have a huge, positive impact for the pancreatic cancer community. They could save a life!
Archives