Twenty-two years ago, a close friend’s sister and mother were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and both succumbed to it. That was my introduction to this dreadful disease and I committed to join them in supporting the Hirshberg Foundation in an effort to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Over the years, more friends and acquaintances have battled pancreatic cancer, most of them losing their battle. As many of you know, in March of 2018, my dearest friend, Lisa Knight, was diagnosed with a form of pancreatic cancer just two months after we spent a long carefree weekend skiing together in Mammoth (photos above). Despite a valiant effort, Lisa succumbed to the disease – hers a life so well lived and taken from us way too soon. Her courageous fight will forever be etched into my soul and it inspires me to embrace those who are striving to find a cure.

Pancreatic cancer has nearly doubled in two decades and it now claims more lives in the US than breast cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, ovarian cancer, lymphoma or leukemia. It has become an epidemic so please help us do something about it. The proceeds of the Hirshberg Foundation’s LA Cancer Challenge are funneled directly to pancreatic cancer researchers in the form of seed grants and you can see exactly where your donations go (this is where they went last year: http://pancreatic.org/research/seed-grant-program/seed-grant-recipients/). The Foundation funds as many seed grants as possible but many robust and promising grants are passed over, due to a lack of funding, and for every grant that is passed over, hope for understanding this deadly disease and hope for a cure is diminished.

The 23rd annual LA Cancer Challenge will take place on Sunday, October 25th, and it’s a virtual event this year, due to COVID, so you can participate from wherever you are. Please join my team and/or make a donation. I never thought pancreatic cancer would touch me personally – no one ever does – but it has, and we are all at risk, so let’s work together to fund a cure!