Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: Purple Stride Los Angeles 2016
Guest post by Larry Clark, retired Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor and National Volunteer Ambassador for The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
March 12, 2013, was a date that changed my life forever, it was the day I was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. From that day almost 3 years ago, I believed I would win my War with pancreatic cancer and dedicated my life to not just surviving this the deadliest of cancers with a dismal survival rate of 8% at 5 years, but joining the larger fight to change this picture for those affiliated today and in the future with pancreatic cancer.
I was incredibly fortunate to be able to have lifesaving successful resection surgery 10 days after diagnosis, performed by Dr. Nick Nissen, M.D., an amazing surgeon and incredible human being, who has become a close personal friend and continues to lead my amazing medical “Dream Team” at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. I was again very fortunate 2 months later qualify for a breakthrough immunological (pancreatic cancer vaccine) phase III clinical trial where for 1 year I received an experimental pancreatic cancer vaccine that kept my cancer from coming back.
Unfortunately, my pancreatic cancer returned in my liver during the Summer of 2014, and I became a Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer Patient.
Since then, my cancer has returned 5 times and I have endured 5 additional medical procedures including 3 ablation surgeries and 2 radiation treatment procedures (both internal & external), all accomplished by my medical “Dream Team” at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, headed by Dr. Nicholas Nissen.
I was honored to the receipant of the “Spirit of Hope” Award by The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in Nov. 2013, and named a voluteer National Ambassador for PANCAN in early 2014.
Over the past 2 years I’ve be dedicated to raising awareness, helping other pancreatic cancer patients, and raising critically needed research funding for pancreatic cancer.
Please join me in this fight to WAGE HOPE for all those afflicted now and in the future with pancreatic cancer by making a donation in any amount to my page.
My Sincere Thanks,
Larry Clark
Rancho Palos Verdes
National Volunteer Ambassador
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
3 Year Pancreatic Cancer Survivor