Letter to the Editor: Walk with Us to Find a Cure

I witnessed my mother suffer and lose her battle with pancreatic cancer back in 1995. To this day, pancreatic cancer remains one of the toughest cancers to treat and has a low survival rate.  I have made it my goal to raise awareness about this deadly disease, and I ask that you come out to support research efforts and the thousands affected by pancreatic cancer.  Walk with me to find a cure.

The Middlesex County Office of Health Services and the Middlesex County Cancer Coalition, in cooperation with the Edison Municipal Alliance, are sponsoring the Fifth Annual Pancreatic Cancer Walk at Roosevelt Park in Edison, by the lake.  The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, June 8.  Registration is $15, and donations are encouraged. This is a great way to stand up, or rather walk, for those we hope will overcome pancreatic cancer.   

Pancreatic cancer has been called a silent killer because symptoms may not appear until it is quite advanced, making it difficult to detect in its early stages.  Also, it can spread rapidly.  According to the American Cancer Society, there is about a 1 in 78 chance of a man or woman being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in their lifetime. Fortunately, there is ongoing research to find a cure. 

The first four walks raised almost $30,000 to benefit pancreatic cancer research at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ), located in New Brunswick. Donations have helped researchers better understand the disease and prescribe more effective options for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Funding is put toward research and clinical trials testing new treatment methods for patients.

I encourage you to come join us in the fight against pancreatic cancer.  Bring your family, ask your friends and form a team.  For those who have supported the walk in previous years, I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to help us in supporting this cause.  The more we learn about how to treat pancreatic cancer, the more people we can save from this devastating disease.  Together, we can make a difference. 

Interested walkers can register by visiting the CINJ Web site at http://cinjfoundation.donordrive.com/event/pancwalk2013.

If you have questions about the event or need additional information, visit the Middlesex County Office of Health Services’ web site at http://co.middlesex.nj.us/publichealth/index.asp. 

 -Ronald G. Rios

Middlesex County Freeholders Director