lemon.
65% New Yorker. 100% Texan. Likes: baking, puppies, beauty products, great meals, and the color yellow. Dislikes: poor grammar, Nutella, name-droppers, mushrooms, canned corn, and one-uppers. My job has nothing to do with social media or journalism. And yes, I use the Oxford comma. If you'd like to inquire, try lizlemon.tumblr.com/ask or lizlemonnn at gmail dot com.
PPSA: Personal Public Service Announcement!
I mentioned that I was starting a volunteer project…and it’s to be the media representative, for PurpleStride New York City 2012, which will raise money and awareness for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. As I’m trying to get my “ducks in a row” as it concerns the materials/resources I will have to reach out to media, I figured I’d start with something in my own space:
PurpleStride New York City 2012 is a 5K run/walk on Saturday, April 21 in the Riverside Park (97th Street & Riverside Drive) NYC. The race starts at an enjoyable and acceptable time of 10:00am! Please consider running/walking/volunteering/donating!
The more I learn about pancreatic cancer, the more frustrating it gets. And the more I learn, the more I start to theorize why this disease gets so little funding, media coverage, etc. Here’s my own personal theory:
There are not enough survivors to tell their stories and advocate for the disease. Because, according to National Cancer Institute, 94% of pancreatic cancer patients will die within five years of diagnosis; 74% of patients will die within the first year of diagnosis; and the average life expectancy after diagnosis with metastatic disease is just five to seven months. Who better to raise awareness than those who survived? But the problem is, there are not enough survivors.
Pancreatic Cancer Network Action not only funds research, but they also support patients and family with information, resources and hope, and also advocate for more government funding. Shocking and disgusting fact: Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cancer killer and continues to be the least funded among the top five cancer killers. In fact, in 2010, pancreatic cancer got HALF the money that lung cancer research did…in 2001! I won’t even compare the numbers to breast cancer research.
I wish that my dad was one of the few survivors. He wasn’t. Apparently he was an “average” statistic in that he lived only six months after diagnosis. That’s heartbreaking. If you unable to donate, volunteer or run/walk, please just reblog. Thank you!!!!
p.s. for those not in NYC, there are about 50 other races throughout the U.S. in 2012, so search for one near you!
A 5k that’s in Manhattan and starts at 10am?! If I’m in town, I am definitely in! And you should be, too.
