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Message From The Volunteer Advisory Council
Welcome to our newest Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC) members!
These volunteer leaders will join the VAC leadership team to serve a three-year term as representatives for all PanCAN volunteers. The VAC is a group of PanCAN volunteers who provide feedback and advice the PanCAN National Office with regard to the PanCAN Community Engagement program, volunteer affiliate network and other initiatives of the organization.
Co-Chair Helen Dillen began her relationship with PanCAN in her home state of Texas in 2010, two years after losing her grandmother to pancreatic cancer. She remembers being devastated with the diagnosis, but that connection has led her to meet so many amazing fellow volunteers.
First volunteering with PanCAN’s Dallas-Ft. Worth Affiliate and a year later, in Austin, she quickly found her purple family. She spent five years there, building relationships with teams and fundraisers, before she and her husband moved to Portland, Ore., in 2016. She started there as Volunteer Chair but transitioned to Affiliate Chair in 2018 and under her leadership, the Affiliate has grown significantly.
Helen’s own family is growing as well, as she welcomed baby Dale in the summer of 2021. She and her husband love to take him exploring all that Oregon has to offer. In addition to her PanCAN work, Helen also sits on the board of directors for a local non-profit that is focused on engaging youth in civic activities to better themselves and their communities.
While her grandmother remains her original “why,” Helen has gained so many more reasons to continue her volunteer work and continue to fight for survivors and friends who’ve lost loved ones.
Jeanne Lipshetz found PanCAN the year after pancreatic cancer delivered her a double blow. Jeanne’s mother passed away after a nine-month battle. On the day of the funeral, Jeanne’s sister was diagnosed with the same disease. Six months later, just one week before Christmas, her sister also passed away.
The next year, Jeanne’s husband Steve accompanied her to a PanCAN meeting for the Milwaukee Affiliate. They both knew they had found their calling, with Steve signing on as Media Chair and Jeanne becoming the Volunteer Chair, helping recruit supporters for their first PanCAN PurpleStride. Jeanne eventually became Affiliate Chair, where she led all efforts for the volunteers. Through the years, she has been a part of PanCAN Advocacy Day, helped with fundraisers and gotten to know survivors and caregivers. She has vowed to see a day when there is early detection for patients.
Besides traveling, Jeanne enjoys gardening, doing crafts and spending time with friends and family.
Mimi Leonard is the ultimate best friend, volunteering for PanCAN in honor of her closest friend’s husband, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018. Shortly after that, another friend passed away within two years of being diagnosed. That’s when Mimi knew she could use her voice in a bigger way.
Mimi is the Advocacy Chair for PanCAN’s Colorado Affiliate, a role that puts her professional experience to use. She is retired from the Littleton, Colo., Public School system where for 33 years, she served as teacher, administrator and Coordinator of Career and Technical Education. She currently works as an independent contractor, managing an educational outreach program for the Army and teaching college classes.
In her spare time, Mimi enjoys singing, reading, swimming, being outdoors and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Bruce Platt had never heard of pancreatic cancer until his mother was diagnosed in September of 2004. Through an online search, he found PanCAN and immediately bought purple bracelets and pins. They became an inspiration as Bruce became his mother’s caregiver and helped her through treatments and procedures.
Before her passing in July of 2009, Bruce’s mother talked about how there was no voice for pancreatic cancer. Bruce promised his mother he would be that voice. His first step was to form the team Platt’s Platoon for PanCAN PurpleStride Philadelphia and attended his first Affiliate meeting in January 2010.
Bruce immediately found a family of supporters and has continued to grow his involvement. He started as the Advocacy Chair and in 2014 was awarded nationally for his efforts. One of his proudest moments was to be among the team of volunteers that helped get the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act passed in 2012. Bruce eventually became the PanCAN Philadelphia Affiliate Chair, leading the network in his hometown.
Bruce has a BA in Adult Development & Organization from Temple University and works for the City of Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department, supervising a center in north Philadelphia. He enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and friends, taking care of their dogs and coaching softball.
Tripp Razor began volunteering with PanCAN’s Raleigh-Durham Affiliate in 2015 after losing his mother to pancreatic cancer. His first experience was attending a PurpleLight ceremony. The next year, Tripp volunteered at PanCAN PurpleStride in the accounting tent and from there, became the PurpleStride Chair.
Tripp has a BS degree in Communications with a minor in Business from East Carolina University. He has worked in the banking industry for over a decade and currently works as a Financial Specialist for Pinnacle Financial Partners in Raleigh.
In addition to serving as PurpleStride Chair, Tripp volunteers for agencies focusing on adoption and domestic violence. In his spare time, he enjoys going to sporting events, concerts, festivals and being uncle to his friends’ children.
Thank you to each of you for your commitment to PanCAN. Your outreach to affiliate volunteers demonstrates the dedication for making the future brighter for patients and families. Our PanCAN VAC is certainly the hub for the volunteer community.
These volunteer leaders will join the VAC leadership team to serve a three-year term as representatives for all PanCAN volunteers. The VAC is a group of PanCAN volunteers who provide feedback and advice the PanCAN National Office with regard to the PanCAN Community Engagement program, volunteer affiliate network and other initiatives of the organization.
Co-Chair Helen Dillen began her relationship with PanCAN in her home state of Texas in 2010, two years after losing her grandmother to pancreatic cancer. She remembers being devastated with the diagnosis, but that connection has led her to meet so many amazing fellow volunteers.
First volunteering with PanCAN’s Dallas-Ft. Worth Affiliate and a year later, in Austin, she quickly found her purple family. She spent five years there, building relationships with teams and fundraisers, before she and her husband moved to Portland, Ore., in 2016. She started there as Volunteer Chair but transitioned to Affiliate Chair in 2018 and under her leadership, the Affiliate has grown significantly.
Helen’s own family is growing as well, as she welcomed baby Dale in the summer of 2021. She and her husband love to take him exploring all that Oregon has to offer. In addition to her PanCAN work, Helen also sits on the board of directors for a local non-profit that is focused on engaging youth in civic activities to better themselves and their communities.
While her grandmother remains her original “why,” Helen has gained so many more reasons to continue her volunteer work and continue to fight for survivors and friends who’ve lost loved ones.
Jeanne Lipshetz found PanCAN the year after pancreatic cancer delivered her a double blow. Jeanne’s mother passed away after a nine-month battle. On the day of the funeral, Jeanne’s sister was diagnosed with the same disease. Six months later, just one week before Christmas, her sister also passed away.
The next year, Jeanne’s husband Steve accompanied her to a PanCAN meeting for the Milwaukee Affiliate. They both knew they had found their calling, with Steve signing on as Media Chair and Jeanne becoming the Volunteer Chair, helping recruit supporters for their first PanCAN PurpleStride. Jeanne eventually became Affiliate Chair, where she led all efforts for the volunteers. Through the years, she has been a part of PanCAN Advocacy Day, helped with fundraisers and gotten to know survivors and caregivers. She has vowed to see a day when there is early detection for patients.
Besides traveling, Jeanne enjoys gardening, doing crafts and spending time with friends and family.
Mimi Leonard is the ultimate best friend, volunteering for PanCAN in honor of her closest friend’s husband, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018. Shortly after that, another friend passed away within two years of being diagnosed. That’s when Mimi knew she could use her voice in a bigger way.
Mimi is the Advocacy Chair for PanCAN’s Colorado Affiliate, a role that puts her professional experience to use. She is retired from the Littleton, Colo., Public School system where for 33 years, she served as teacher, administrator and Coordinator of Career and Technical Education. She currently works as an independent contractor, managing an educational outreach program for the Army and teaching college classes.
In her spare time, Mimi enjoys singing, reading, swimming, being outdoors and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Bruce Platt had never heard of pancreatic cancer until his mother was diagnosed in September of 2004. Through an online search, he found PanCAN and immediately bought purple bracelets and pins. They became an inspiration as Bruce became his mother’s caregiver and helped her through treatments and procedures.
Before her passing in July of 2009, Bruce’s mother talked about how there was no voice for pancreatic cancer. Bruce promised his mother he would be that voice. His first step was to form the team Platt’s Platoon for PanCAN PurpleStride Philadelphia and attended his first Affiliate meeting in January 2010.
Bruce immediately found a family of supporters and has continued to grow his involvement. He started as the Advocacy Chair and in 2014 was awarded nationally for his efforts. One of his proudest moments was to be among the team of volunteers that helped get the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act passed in 2012. Bruce eventually became the PanCAN Philadelphia Affiliate Chair, leading the network in his hometown.
Bruce has a BA in Adult Development & Organization from Temple University and works for the City of Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department, supervising a center in north Philadelphia. He enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and friends, taking care of their dogs and coaching softball.
Tripp Razor began volunteering with PanCAN’s Raleigh-Durham Affiliate in 2015 after losing his mother to pancreatic cancer. His first experience was attending a PurpleLight ceremony. The next year, Tripp volunteered at PanCAN PurpleStride in the accounting tent and from there, became the PurpleStride Chair.
Tripp has a BS degree in Communications with a minor in Business from East Carolina University. He has worked in the banking industry for over a decade and currently works as a Financial Specialist for Pinnacle Financial Partners in Raleigh.
In addition to serving as PurpleStride Chair, Tripp volunteers for agencies focusing on adoption and domestic violence. In his spare time, he enjoys going to sporting events, concerts, festivals and being uncle to his friends’ children.
Thank you to each of you for your commitment to PanCAN. Your outreach to affiliate volunteers demonstrates the dedication for making the future brighter for patients and families. Our PanCAN VAC is certainly the hub for the volunteer community.
- Written by Janice Griffin, VAC Member
