Every year, people worldwide come together to support a cause that touches countless lives: the fight against pancreatic cancer. The World Pancreatic Cancer Day (WPCD) is observed on the third Thursday of November. This year, it falls on November 21, 2024. This timing aligns with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, enhancing its impact and outreach.
WPCD is an opportunity to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer, support those affected, and promote research for better treatment options and earlier diagnosis. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the progress made, the challenges ahead, and the power of community in battling this relentless disease.
Understanding Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer originates in the tissues of the pancreas, a vital organ located behind the lower part of the stomach. Known for its aggressive nature, it often remains undetected until it is advanced, leading to a poorer prognosis: complicating treatment and reducing survival rates.
Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
Symptoms can include abdominal pain, jaundice, weight loss, and nonspecific digestive difficulties, but they often appear late in the disease’s progression.
Some of those, even if they appear earlier, is easy to ignore: like diffuse abdominal pain that is mild. Weight loss is easy to ignore too: as people might be happy that they lost weight. Or indigestion: they might take sugar or honey or antiacid medications and feel better.
Personal Family Journey
On a personal family journey, I witnessed these challenges firsthand. I witnessed the challenges of delayed diagnosis, limited treatment options, disease progression, navigating extremely complex health care and advocating for patients not only in my role as a physician but as a daughter, firsthand.
Sadly, my dearest mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This diagnosis came upon us all of a sudden: out of the blue sky. Her main presentation was painless jaundice. As soon as it happened: I feared the worst. I knew immediately it was not good news. My suspicion was, unfortunately, proven to be true. And that started us on a turbulent journey of trying to fight this awful disease.
Why Awareness Matters
Raising awareness about pancreatic cancer is critical. Early detection and innovative treatments can significantly improve survival rates and enhance the quality of life for those affected. With approximately 466,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year, spreading knowledge about symptoms and risks can save lives.
Progress and Hope
Despite the disease’s severity, there have been strides made in research and treatment. Advances in genomic research, early detection methods, and targeted therapies offer a beacon of hope. Organizations and research institutions are relentless in their quest to find better solutions, striving to improve outcomes for patients globally.
History of World Pancreatic Cancer Day
World Pancreatic Cancer Day was first observed in 2014. It was a part of a collective effort by pancreatic cancer organizations around the world. The goal was to increase public awareness of the disease, which is often diagnosed at a late stage and has a low survival rate compared to other cancers.
Spearheaded by the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, which includes more than 80 organizations from over 30 countries, the day unites various stakeholders in the common mission of fighting pancreatic cancer through advocacy, research, and awareness campaigns. Some of the key organizations that are part of this coalition include:
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) – United States
- Pancreatic Cancer – UK
- Pancreatic Cancer – Canada
- Pancare Foundation – Australia
- Pancreatic Cancer Action – UK
- Lustgarten Foundation – United States
- Let’s Win Pancreatic Cancer
- Initiative for prevention and early detection of pancreatic cancer: IVFB e.V. – Germany
- Fondation ARCAD – France
- Fondazione Nadia Valsecchi – Italy
- Pancreatic Cancer Europe
These organizations, among others, work within their respective countries and collectively through the coalition to amplify the message surrounding pancreatic cancer. They focus on raising awareness, funding research, providing support for patients and families, and advocating for more resources to combat this challenging disease.
Symbolism and Color Purple
The purple ribbon is the symbol for pancreatic cancer awareness, and supporters are encouraged to wear purple and participate in events to show solidarity with patients and survivors.
How You Can Make a Difference
On World Pancreatic Cancer Day, there are numerous ways to get involved:
- Educate Yourself and Others: Learn about the symptoms and risk factors of pancreatic cancer. Share this knowledge with your community to foster awareness.
- Support Research: Consider donating to reputable research organizations or participating in fundraisers to support ongoing studies and trials.
- Wear Purple: Join the worldwide movement by wearing purple to show solidarity and support for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
- Share Stories: If you or someone you know has been affected by pancreatic cancer, consider sharing your story to raise awareness and inspire others.
My personal story is that of taking care of my dearest mother. Pancreatic cancer hit her out of the blue. Although she received good medical care for part of the time she lived after the diagnosis, there are some other parts that I am not at peace with, yet. And that makes it extra hard: as I often think: did I do enough? Could I have done more? If I did, would she still be alive?
Looking to the Future
World Pancreatic Cancer Day serves not only as a reminder of the challenges faced but also as a beacon of hope. With every stride in research and every story shared, we come closer to a world where pancreatic cancer can be detected early and treated effectively, ensuring better futures for patients and their families.
As we observe this day, let’s commit to spreading awareness, supporting research, and standing together as a global community dedicated to ending pancreatic cancer.
Jasminka Vukanovic-Criley MD, FACP, FHM is a multiple award-winning physician, from cancer researcher, internal medicine physician, and Medical School Associate Clinical Professor to entrepreneur. She has mentored many undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students and faculty. She is the Principal Investigator on studies from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education creating research-driven #edtech games and digital media to improve health, civics, science education, and healthy habits. Dr Criley is also a founding Board member of Physician’s Weekly. She can be reached on X at @criley_md and at www.linkedin.com/in/jasminka-criley-md