Why do I harangue my friends year after year?
This is the 27th Los Angeles Cancer Challenge and this is our 27th as well. We have been at this since day one and our team has funded entire seed grants.
It's been 26 years since Liz's sister and mom were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 20 years since team namesake Heather was diagnosed. The incidence of pancreatic cancer has more than doubled in that time, from 29,000 new cases in 1998 to more than 66,000 new cases this year. We have made progress in fighting the disease but survival rates remain dismally poor and the steady growth of the disease has outstripped those gains such that pancreatic deaths are up 79% over the same period. Pancreatic cancer deaths surpassed breast cancer deaths in the US in 2016 and the gap has already widened to more than 20%. What's more, it's expected to vertake colon cancer in a year or two, leaving only lung cancer ahead on the list.
A dozen team members have lost family members to pancreatic cancer and dozens more of us have lost dear friends, capped by Lisa Knight five years ago and Walter Koch a year later.
Pancreatic cancer is a vicious and unforgiving disease and we need to marshal everything we can to combat it. Research is the only thing that will change the needle on pancreatic cancer and we parcel the proceeds of this event into seed grants that go directly to pancreatic cancer researchers, sowing seeds of innovation, so please join us in memory of those we have lost and in honor of those we have yet to meet.
Achievements
Platinum Level
I've Raised $2,500+
Personal Gift Badge
I've taken the LA Cancer Challenge
Personal Progress:
of Goal
$48,418
Raised
$75,000.00
Fundraising Honor Roll
Stone Foundation
$15,000
Alfred E. Mann Charities
Grant Winthrop
$5,000
Karen Tallman
$5,000
Jon F. Rager
$2,500
Richard 'Rich' Weiss
$1,000
Steffany and Michael Canty
$1,000
Richard Weiss
$1,000
Corri and Brad Scott
$500
Hayden Miller
$500
Dr. Dave M. Atkin , M.D.
$500
John Marrone
$500
Jane Gorman
$500
Scott Woods
$500
Cohen Ingalls Giving Fund
$500
Mr. Douglas Atkin
$500
Nickle Family Trust
$400
Anonymous
$250
Pam Itkin-Ansari
$250
Bruce Khouri
$250
Anonymous
Skip Collector
$250
Geoff and Gretchen Sheldon
$250
Mrs. Mary Ann Zalinski
$250
Joe
Greg and Laura Blomstrand
$250
Robert W Barnes
$200
Inge Mueller
$150
Louis Lynn
$150
Mrs. Anita (Rosenbaum) Kline
$118
Walter Koch
$100
Mr. Dave Mendenhall
$100
Allison Koch
Anonymous
Deb
$100
Jan
$100
Shig Alert
$50