LIVING HOPE: Living w/ Pancreatic Cancer

"I was determined not to let cancer control my life.” Laurie MacCaskill a Professional Speaker, Motivator, Patient Advocate, Cancer Life Coach and a 17-year pancreatic cancer survivor shares her journey and some invaluable tools she developed to help in her fight with the world’s toughest cancer.

Why volunteer for a cancer that has such a dismal outcome? Bringing awareness being around people that you share something in common with helped her to heal having a voice helped her to feel empowered.  Stephannie was the Caregiver for her Grandmother in the non tradional sense.  She would visit her, read to her, dance for her or just hold her hand and talk with her. Stephannie's favorite event is...

Amy Reiss, the Patient and Family Support Coordinator from the Hirshberg Foundation previewed their 17th Annual Symposium on Pancreatic Cancer (in collaboration with the UCLA Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases) that was held at UCLA's Luskin Conference Center March 11, 2023. Watch the 17th Annual Symposium https://youtu.be/OgMZ-TqgrCc SAVE THE DATE: The 18th Annual Symposium on Pancreatic Ca...

When a guest is unable to come, as sorry as we are, that gives Paul and I the opportunity to talk and do a little catch up.  We covered a large range of topics like the Hirshberg Symposium, Taking a Leap of Faith, PanCAN's PurpleStride OC, November Awareness, is COVID still affecting the pancreatic cancer community, mask vs no mask.        

We learned about clinical trials and their importance with Fatima Zelada-Arenas. Fatima is the Director of Patient Services Research and Education at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). She works directly with pancreatic cancer patients and caregivers providing resources and information. Fatima has a special interest in patient advocacy, research, and mental health.  We talked about cli...

Sisters, Allison and Erica start a non profit organization to honor their mother and continue her legacy.  Miracle for Melanie continues the Legacy that their mother started many years ago and continued during her fight with pancreatic cancer.  For more information please visit the website www.miracle4melanie.org "As long as you speak my name, I shall live forever," is dedicated to Melanie Darvin...

Jennifer Garrepy, Reiki Master, advanced studies in Healing Touch, and one of fewer than 100 Certified Healing Touch for Animals Practitioners worldwide. We chatted about how and why she was called to the healing arts, what to expect, how to prepare as well as my experience with a Healing Touch session.  After my session I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time, a calmness.   For more informa...

Let's Win launched in 2016 with a goal of breaking down the barriers between the doctors, the patients and the researchers so that everyone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has easy access to the latest information about the best treatment options.   Join us as we talk about the growth of Survivor stories, importance of clinical trials and genetic testing.  Let's Win platform educates patients and...

Jenny Isaacson, Vice President of Stewardship & Partnerships at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, is responsible for the overall management and direction of the organization’s stewardship efforts. She also oversees strategic partnerships including the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, that came together in 2013 to discuss working together to raise global pancreatic cancer awareness and wo...

Tom, away from home, gets a call on his 65 birthday from his Dr, not wishing him a happy birthday but instead telling him she needed to see you as soon as possible. Tom, very active and an enthusiast bike rider is diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.  Tom was not a candidate for surgery but went on a clinical trial.  Treatment went on for 15 months after which Tom received good news - he was...

Melissa knew at a very young age that she wanted to help those with cancer.  Initially she wanted to be an oncologist.  A professor took her aside and told her "you have a gift in you as a teacher, educator, researcher, you don't you consider this as a career?"  Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith, affectionally referred to as Dr RG by her students took that advice and is the Associate Professor of Biologic...

Reflecting back over 25 years with Hirshberg Founder Agi Hirshberg and her daughter Lisa Manheim, Executive Director.  Hirshberg Foundation got its start more than 25 years ago when Ron Hirshberg was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Ron and Agi decided they were going to beat this disease together and live a long life, sadly six months later Ron died.  They had made a promise together to find a...

Sarah Banks is the Development Manager for the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.  The 25th annual LA CANCER CHALLENGE was a walk/run benefitting the Hirschberg Foundation and their ongoing work battling Pancreatic Cancer.  LACC was held on Sunday, October 23rd, on the beautiful campus of UCLA, where much of the foundation’s research is conducted.  LACC is an annual Halloween-the...

Ben Franklin has been quoted as saying “In this world nothing can be said to be certain except Death and taxes” Death is a harsh reality that none of us wants to think about or deal with regardless of our health. Death is part of life and planning your estate can give you peace of mind that your wishes will be met, and your loved ones are taken care of.   Allison Lee is a Trust and Estate Planning...

"It's not what you know but who you know," was certainly true for 10-year pancreatic survivor Thom Mrozek.  Thom wasn't sure how public he wanted to be about his diagnosis, but when his daughter, who at that time attended an episcopal school asked at Chapel "can we pray for my dad?" her request started the ball rolling.   Thom woke up one morning with a recurring pain that went on for a few days. ...

We talk a lot about pancreatic cancer but for those who don't have a connection,  who may be newly diagnosed or just curious may not have a understanding of what we are talking about.  Hopefully this episode will help answer some questions.  

Dr Kim joined us to talk about the use of the ViewRay MRIdian for treatment of pancreatic cancer at Hoag Hospital.  Dr Kim explains that the tumor needs to be hit with high energy x-ray beams.  To be able to hit the tumor you need to be able to see the tumor.  Its that simple.  This is the only machine that uses MRI imaging to visualize the tumor. Tumors move with each breath and this machine allo...

Susie Lemieux was the Caregiver for her husband, Peter.  Peter survived 11 months before his death.  Six months after losing her husband, Susie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. People came to her and asked how did she get it, was it contagoius? Susie had nothing to compare it with and assumed in a year she would also be dead.   Susie moved back to California with her daughter, Natascha.  Nata...

Christina Parrish, is a 14 year "Sur-Thriver" of Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer.  Christina describes herself as sur-thriver because she strives to thrive everyday.  "It's important to realize that you are surviving everyday no matter the struggles."  Christina is the Founder of The Purple Iris Foundation.  Their mission is to raise awareness, provide support, and give hope to indivduals and families a...

A quote from Hamlet is how Kitty felt when getting her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.  Kitty was going through a difficult time dealing with her father's illness, a friend in the hospital, so much going on at one time.  It felt like the whole army was marching down on her.  How does someone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer feel like they are the luckist person in the world?  Kitty is very open in...

Eleven people out of one hundred will be alive five years after their pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients has increased recently from a single digit number to 11%. Tori Larrick, Patient Services Manager ll with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network recently shared with us why early detection and better treatment options are some of the reasons why...

Ken Parme, a husband, father, grandfather a man with many talents when asked how he wants to be remembered he replied very simply "as a kind man." Ken is a very kind, friendly, talented man who I've had the pleasure of knowing for a number of years.  It wasn't until he shared his journey with us that I realized how much we had in common in regards to our diagnosis.  In December 2012 Ken was diagno...

Paul and I sat down and had a chat about the ways in which COVID has complicated people's battle with pancreatic cancer.  The affects it had on the patient and their families. Being back in person at PurpleStride, how having a positive outlook can get you through the difficult times.  What we hope for the future of Living Hope and more! #PurpleStrideOC #PurpleStride #PancreaticCancer #COVID  

Laurie Paolone went to lunch with friends.  Later when she wasn't feeling well she thought she had food poisoning.  When the symptoms became worse she went to the Dr and was treated for an ulcer. It wasn't until someone noticed she was jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes) that she was told to go to the ER immediately and learned she had pancreatic cancer.   The first thing Laurie thought of was "oh m...

This episode of Living Hope is a continuation of a pervious conversation about being a Caregiver with Stephanie Ruvalcaba Ho. What is a Caregiver? If you provide help to another person in need, you are a caregiver. Caregivers can be professional - hired through an agency or a family member stepping up.  Caregivers come in all different types - the one who takes care of all the medical needs, runs...