It's been a whirlwind trip... but such fun!
From Texas to Wisconsin and all the way back! We made the most of every second...
Visiting family!
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You can survive this!
Every pancreatic cancer fighter needs to see this video...
Don't be so hard on yourself.
Everybody has a chapter they don't read out loud.
Take a moment. Sit back.
Marvel at your life;
at the mistakes that gave you wisdom,
at the suffering that gave you strength.
Despite everything, you still move forward,
be proud of this.
Continue to endure.
Continue to persevere.
And no matter how dark it gets,
remember where you're headed.
~ unknown
For Diane Ronnau, veteran Producer at CBS news, she faced her pancreatic cancer battle with grit, humor and a healthy dose of balance and perspective.
She passed away last weekend, July 23rd, 2022, after facing down her cancer for 16 years.
Much too soon.
She left us a gift in her living... a road map of sorts as we all face our own chaos... in this fiercest of battles, she refused to be defined by cancer, rather she let family and love be the ultimate reward.
In 2007 she shared her thoughts with Sandra Hughes:
"The truth is sometimes you do things because you have to do them. I am sick, but I also have responsibilities. I have a family, I have work, I have to do those things. As much as I was extremely worried by being sick, I also wanted to participate in the rest of my life that I am very attached to."
The tributes have poured in... she was loved by many. In her line of work, words are currency. And these words speak to the life she lived and the people she touched.
We are richer for the life she lived.
When words escape us... may love speak the cries of our heart.
There's a new drug on the block... And Earl Groce wants everyone to know about it!
His story is one of Hope and an amazing 5+ years of living with (and thriving in the midst of) pancreatic cancer.
He shares so much of the journey on his blog... cpi613.com. Head over there right now and be encouraged!
His story starts out as many before him... utter shock, disbelief and despair. Pancreatic cancer is among the top deadliest cancers in America and has a dismal survival rate if the cancer has spread or metastasized.
And Earl's cancer had spread from the pancreas to the liver and lungs before being diagnosed. It's a diagnosis none of us would wish to receive.
But... Earl's doctor was able to enroll him into a new clinical trial. He was one of 20 patients in the first phase. And this is the story he is telling to all who will listen. We need more cancer patients and loved ones to hear the news. Check out his blog... he shares it well!
The new drug CPI613 or Devimistat works in tandem with a modified Folfirinox treatment and in November of 2020, the FDA has fast tracked CPI613 for Pancreatic Cancer treatment. It is currently in Phase 3 trials and while not the golden ticket for everyone, it has improved remission and given hope to many!
Earl received a beautiful thank you note from the daughter of a fellow pancreatic cancer patient. She shares from her heart and it resonates deeply:
"Thank you for everything, and please keep sharing your story. I KNOW we are not the only family you have given hope to in some of the darkest times. This diagnosis is given as a death sentence by doctors, and a quick internet search turns up much of the same. Your story is one of so few out there that shed light on such a grim diagnosis. Thank you again."
Well done Mr. Groce! Well done! We need more Hope for the Darkness. Thank you for being the encouragement we all need!
Prayers tonight for the cancer warriors and each one who is holding the line. CPI613 is one of the newest drugs in the fight to win this war. Believing with all my heart it is just the beginning...
All My Love,
Jane
