Pancreatic_Cancer

This page is devoted to exploring 'survivorship' and what that means to individuals living with pancreatic cancer. Whether you are recently diagnosed, undergoing treatment or post-treatment, "Messages of Hope " is dedicated to sharing personal experiences with our readers.

There is nothing more comforting than being able to share information, ask questions and gain support from individuals who have been through a similiar experience.

If you would like us to post your story of hope and survivorship, please click on the link below to share your experiences.

Rose Anne Mele

My journey began last November 15, 2008 when I went into the Windsor hospital with abdominal pain radiating to my back, if literally felt like someone was squeezing me and I could not breath. When I arrived at the hospital they admitted me with the diagnosis that it was my gallbladder. Further tests (MRI) revealed a spot on my pancreas. After 9 days of IV they decided to do a biopsy of my pancreas, the pain was absolutely terrible, and they sent me home. After 3 days of being at home in excruciating pain I was admitted back into the hospital for another 11 days of IV. I was getting different diagnosis from different doctors. I did not know if I was coming or going.

I decided to seek a second opinion and went to London. Another MRI was done and it showed that the mass had gotten bigger and this was concerning to them. They gave me two options 1 - keep doing biopsy's or remove the mass. His recommendation was to remove the mass and without any hesitation I agreed. The surgery was called the WHIPPLE procedure.

April 2, 2009 I had the whipple procedure, and the surgery went well and my recovery was equally as well. Unfortunately the mass that was removed came back as cancer. When I heard that C word my blood went cold. The surgeon told me that the margins and lymnoids were all clear, this was a good thing. But he recommended that I have chemo and radiation treatment as a precautionary. So I began that journey in June and I finally finished my treatments in November. I had my CT scan and results came back that everything is clear - THANK GOD. So from this point on they will follow me up every 3 months.

I am grateful that I had the pain when I did because without that pain I would of never known. I am thankful for all my family and friends for their support and encouragement. Keeping positive has helped me through this and most of all having faith and the power of prayers. I also used the service of our local Hospice which was fantastic.

The one thing I was told by my family members who are health professionals is not to look on the internet because it often dwells on the negatives and not the positives, and there are positives out there which has been encouraging.

Rose Anne Mele

Mike Bilodeau

Micheleo Bilodeau has graciously agreed to share his experiences of recovery from distal pancreatectomy surgery. His blog, Journey into the unknown from a distal pancreatectomy survivor, is a diary/blog of his experiences/challenges throughout his brave road to recovery.

Michel is a true inspiration - HIs Motto - If life tends you a lemon, squeeze it and make lemonade - otherwise use it for the "Zest" of your life!

An excerpt from Michel's initial blog on Sunday November 25, 2007:

"Here it is, we are 14 hours away where I will have my first radiation treatment followed with my first chemotherapy through a picc line. (smaller regular dosage 24/7). I have to admit this does not seem or sound pleasant and I'm not looking forward to it. Truth be known, it is for the best and should make me a healthier person .... The comfort I have at present, is from Sylvie (my wife) who is always there by my side to help me and has been my best recourse of inspiration through this. Although I have a very positive attitude, she has always been able to see ahead and has been very patient with my denial, disbelief and cynical views. So I guess that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life and I most certainly intend to live this at it's fullest ... I'm anxious to see my kids 15 and 17 grow to their full potential in life and hope they make good choices all around. I will be there for them each and every day ... Anyways, I have never had a BLOG before and this will be useful for all to see where I'm at with my situation. I thought of sending emails but soon realized the workload this would create. With the BLOG, you can forward the link to your friends or family and get the facts at your own pace... The show must go on and we are at the first curtain ... I somewhat feel like as if I was being punished but I will get over that. Stay tuned for more ..." Journey into the unknown from a distal pancreatectomy survivor,

Mike Bilodeau

"Earlier this year, Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch spoke to a Congressional committee about funding for pancreatic cancer, the disease that eventually took his life this summer. “We don’t have advocates for this disease,” he said, “because they don’t live long enough.”

Nearly 34,000 people a year learn they have the deadly disease. In today’s Patient Voices feature by my colleague Karen Barrow, six of them share their stories of living with pancreatic cancer. A seventh voice belongs to a sister who lost her brother to the disease.

You’ll meet Sandra Balkman Martin, 50, a retired teacher and eight-year survivor of the disease. And there’s Dr. Ron Davis, immediate past president of the American Medical Association, who recently discovered he has late-stage cancer. And there’s Carolynn Kiel, 66, of Laguna Woods, Calif., who lost her mother and sister to pancreatic cancer and who recently learned that she, too, has the disease."

Survivors and loved ones talk about Pancreatic Cancer in a youtube video - Get the Facts -short video

In case you are new to "the adventure" as he referred to it, Dr. Randy Pausch, a Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, delivered an incredibly inspirational "Last Lecture" on achieving your childhood dreams that has become a worldwide phenomenon due to its positive themes and Randy's moral authority to deliver it: his almost unbelievable bravery, dignity, and humility in the face of his terminal pancreatic cancer. Watch The Last Lecture in its entirety below in link.

Named one of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2008 by Time Magazine, this site has been established as a way for his friends, family, and the literally millions of ordinary people around the world that Randy has inspired with his good humor, tireless optimism and commitment to live life to the fullest, to say "thank you" and more than that, to ensure that Randy's legacy will ease the burden of future generations.FACT: Pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate and is the most underfunded of all major cancers. It is also the only cancer on which virtually no progress has been made in the past 30 years. 75% of pancreatic cancer patients die within 12 months of the initial diagnosis and less than 5% survive for five years. The only way to change these dismal statistics is to raise as much money as possible for research.In March of this year, Randy used his newly found and unintentional celebrity to deliver compelling and heart-rending testimony before the U.S. House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (L-HHS) on behalf of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The message that Randy so eloquently expressed was the urgent need for implementation of The National Plan to Advance Pancreatic Cancer Research, click here An emotional testimony made by the dying, Dr. Randy Pausch to members of Congress

Randy's emotional testimony included acknowledgement that this horrible disease tends to have a genetic link and that he believes significant progress is possible in his children's lifetimes with adequate funding today.