During November, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, Project Purple is working to shine a light on one of the deadliest cancers in the United States. Project Purple encourages everyone to be aware of the disease's risk factors and make lifestyle changes, if needed, to control one's risk.
SEYMOUR, Conn., Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- During November, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, Project Purple is working to shine a light on one of the deadliest cancers in the United States. Forty-three landmarks in 24 states are helping by lighting up purple on Thursday, Nov. 17, World Pancreatic Cancer Day. Among the places lighting up are: Niagara Falls, the Boston Bridges, Manhattan's Helmsley Building, Seattle's Great Wheel, the Delaware State Capitol, and city halls in Cleveland; Boston; Rochester, Minn.; and Tuscaloosa, Ala.
"Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in our country, largely because people are not aware of its subtle symptoms and because there's not a means for early detection," said Dino Verrelli, founder and CEO of Project Purple, a national nonprofit with a mission of a world without pancreatic cancer. "By shining their lights purple, landmarks across the United States are helping raise awareness of this deadly disease and silently voicing support for the patients, doctors, researchers and organizations battling this disease every day."
ABOUT PANCREATIC CANCER
Pancreatic cancer has a 5-year survival rate of just 11 percent. It is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, primarily because most people are diagnosed at stage 4, after the disease has spread beyond the pancreas. The symptoms of pancreatic cancer, which are subtle and often go undetected, include:
- Sudden weight loss
- Recent onset of diabetes
- Indigestion
- Changes in stool
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach pain
- Jaundice
"The only way we as a nation are going to stem the rising tide of pancreatic cancer and help increase the survival rate is by dramatically increasing funding of research to develop a screening for early detection," Verrelli said. "Breast cancer has mammograms and colorectal cancers have colonoscopies. We need a similar test for pancreatic cancer today."
Project Purple encourages everyone to be aware of the disease's risk factors and make lifestyle changes, if needed, to control one's risk. According to the American Cancer Society, risk factors include:
- Obesity: Obese people (body mass index of 30 or more) are about 20 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. Gaining weight as an adult can also increase risk.
- Age: Patients tend to be older than 45 and the risk increases as people age.
- History of pancreatitis: Pancreatitis, long-term inflammation of the pancreas, is often seen with heavy alcohol use and smoking.
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Smoking: People who smoke have about twice the risk of getting pancreatic cancer than those who have never smoked.
- Race: African Americans are slightly more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than whites.
- Family history: about 10 percent of cases are familial.
PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Project Purple will be marking Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month beyond the Shine the Light campaign. On Sunday, the organization will field a team of 82 runners at the TCS New York City Marathon. To date, the team has raised more than $375,000 for Project Purple. For those wanting to help raise awareness and funds for patient financial aid and research, Project Purple is hosting two opportunities this month:
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month Virtual 5K Turkey Trot on Thursday, Nov. 24.
- Facebook 49-Mile Dog Walk Challenge
ABOUT PROJECT PURPLE
Founded in 2010, Project Purple provides financial aid and hope to patients battling pancreatic cancer and funds critical research in the detection and treatment of the disease. Its primary source of funding is through peer-to-peer fundraising by individuals participating in marathons, half marathons and other physical activities. In 2022, more 15,000 individuals have competed in about 25 events to support Project Purple's mission of a world without pancreatic cancer. To date, Project Purple has funded more than $2.2 million in research and provided more than $510,000 in financial aid to help patients cover medical bills, utilities and housing costs while undergoing treatment. Seventy percent of financial aid recipients have been between the ages of 51 and 71. For more information, go to http://www.ProjectPurple.org.
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Media Contact
Dino Verrelli, Project Purple, 203-414-2716, [email protected]
SOURCE Project Purple
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