Participate in PanCAN PurpleStride®
By Wendy Caparco, Communications Chair
Join the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network of WNY (PanCAN) on Saturday, April 29 for a walk to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer. Western New York’s walk is just one of 60 such events taking place nationally on the same day. On this day, thousands of PanCAN network’s supporters will walk in solidarity with a goal of raising $19 million nationally. Here in WNY, the goal is to raise $215,000.
Jennifer Schiffmacher, chair of PanCAN’s Western New York affiliate, said, “There is a critical need for more awareness and research for pancreatic cancer and the money we raise through PanCAN PurpleStride will help make an impact.”
Pancreatic cancer is the world’s deadliest cancer with a 12% five-year survival rate. It is also the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in America. In 2023, roughly 64,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the disease and 50,000 will die, including 3,000 New Yorkers. Prominent public figures who have lost their lives to pancreatic cancer include Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, actor Willie Garson, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, pro-golfer Tom Weiskopf, and U.S. Representative John Lewis.
WNY PurpleStride is supported by national sponsor GRAIL; gold sponsors Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Buffalo Sabres, and M&T Bank; gold media sponsor WGRZ; silver sponsor Mentholatum; bronze sponsor West Herr Automotive Group; and print and digital media sponsor Buffalo Healthy Living.
Learn more about WNY PurpleStride, being held at Riverworks, 359 Ganson St., Buffalo 14203. Register for free or donate at https://purplestride.org/wny. The event location opens at 8 am, with a ceremony at 9 am, and a walk at 9:30 am. Learn more at www.pancan.org, and follow PanCAN on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
