November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
The American Cancer Society’s estimates for pancreatic cancer in the United States for 2018 are:
- About 55,440 people (29,200 men and 26,240 women) will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
- About 44,330 people (23,020 men and 21,310 women) will die of pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer awareness is an essential component in the fight, and one great way to help during November is by supporting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) in their efforts!
What is the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network?
Founded in 1999, PanCAN is dedicated to advocating for the pancreatic cancer patient community. Their mission statement says:
“In our urgent mission to save lives, we attack pancreatic cancer on all fronts: research, clinical initiatives, patient services and advocacy. Our effort is amplified by a nationwide network of grassroots support. We are determined to improve patient outcomes today and to double survival by 2020.”
PanCAN does great work in raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer, covering latest and greatest news impacting the pancreatic cancer community, providing research for patients, and so much more.
Demand Better
PanCAN’s #DemandBetter campaign aims at empowering patients during November and building momentum in the community for greater awareness and advocacy.
While we highlight pancreatic cancer in November, PanCAN works all year long to provide resources so that pancreatic cancer patients, as well as their families, friends, and loved ones, feel the power of community support. Additionally, PanCAN creates better opportunities to achieve fundraising and research goals.
PanCAN is the only organization with a nationwide grassroots movement, inspiring over a million people to take action and accelerate progress in the fight to end pancreatic cancer.
Join or follow any of their social media platforms to be a part of that movement, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube channels.
Digital Awareness
Sometimes the best way to raise awareness is simply having a stand-out visual with a clear message. Purple is used as the color of pancreatic cancer awareness, and adding a message on social media helps get the word out to your personal network.
PanCAN has several infographics and social media tools to help you communicate important awareness month messages. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a sea of
purple in your Facebook and Instagram feeds?
And don’t forget to use the hashtags #PANCaware, #pancreaticcancer, and #DemandBetter in your social media efforts.
Be #PANCaware and Take the Quiz
One big goal of the awareness campaign is to promote early symptom detection.
Take PanCAN’s Risk Assessment Test and Symptoms Quiz and make sure to share with your friends and family to help raise awareness of the symptoms and risk factors.
Learning about the pancreas and symptoms of the cancer can be an invaluable resource for you or for the people you share it with.
Consider a Donation
Raising money is always the cornerstone of any advocacy group. PanCAN offers a variety of ways to help fundraise, including participating in your local PurpleStride walk, hosting a ‘PurpleParty’, checking out the online store, or keeping it simple with a direct donation.
