Bat Signal

A friend of a friend wrote the following and I thought it important enough to share. Sad to say, cancer has effected and continues to effect almost everyone I know. My grandpa died of colon cancer, a friend is fighting breast cancer, my dog has had his cancer return and will have surgery on Monday.

According to recent reports, advances in cancer treatment are reducing overall cancer death rates. Yet, the survival rate for pancreatic cancer has not changed in 25 years. The survival rate is at best two years. My Mom almost made it to a year.

cancer

It’s this little word that means so much more. I remember hearing the word for the first time come out of my dad’s mouth. Sitting in the park at fifty-ninth and fifth with a hundred people walking around me I heard the word my Dad said. He told me that what they found on her pancreas was cancer. He said "cancer" and all I heard was him telling me that Mom was going to die. In my mind cancer equals death.

I didn’t go back to work. I cried, really I wept. Amy did her best to make me feel better but after doing research online about pancreatic cancer the tears started back up. You hear about people beating cancer. About it going into remission. Full lives lived.

That doesn’t happen with pancreatic cancer. You die with pancreatic cancer. I hate cancer. I really hate it. I want to punch cancer in the face and then kick it in the crotch.

I want to make cancer my bitch.

So this page, this walk that I’m doing on a Sunday in July, this is my way of kicking cancer in the nards.

If you know anything about me you know I’m an avid fan of the comic books. Bruce Wayne took up the mantle of the bat after his parents were gunned down by criminals. It didn’t take Batman long to figure out that he needed help in his quest. Batman recruited Robin, and from Robin came Batgirl.

I need your help.

This is my call to arms to kick cancer’s ass and I’m turning on my bat-signal to get your attention. I need you to give.
I don’t mean that I need you to give just cash. I know the state of the economy and that some people can’t give. I need you to give me some time. Something my Mom doesn’t have anymore.

Most of you are on Facebook. I’m asking you to post a link to this page there. (I’m not biassed, if you’re on myspace then post there too.) I won’t even judge you if you tweet about it. If you’ve got a blog then that means I’ve probably read it or supported it at some point. I need you to take a second and tell your readers the info you found out when you looked at the wikipedia entry on Pancreatic cancer.

I’m asking you to turn on your bat-signal.

Cancer doesn’t have to mean death. Together with everyone I know, with everyone you know that I don’t, we can all help give people with pancreatic cancer a fighting chance.

To visit my fundraising page: Click Here