Statement from Fund A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer on Passing of Patrick Swayze

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) September 15, 2009 -- All of us at Fund A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer were saddened to learn of the loss of Patrick Swayze to pancreatic cancer yesterday. We want to send our condolences to the actor's wife, his family and friends.

He will be remembered not only for his many rolls in movies such as "Ghost", "Roadhouse", "Dirty Dancing" and "Point Break" over the years but for his commitment to life and family during his battle with the most deadliest of cancers.

Despite not being eligible to undergo a surgical procedure to remove his tumor Patrick fought on for nearly 20 months beating many odds. All the while he continued to practice the craft for which he had an extreme passion, acting, and developed and brought to the public a whole new character in the A & E series "The Beast."

Patrick's passing at only 57 years of age demonstrates to all of us again, how quickly pancreatic cancer steals our loved ones away from us. Over 50% of pancreatic cancer patients diagnosed today will succumb to the disease in less than 6 months and 75% will not be alive one year from now.

It is clear that the federal government through the National Cancer Institute must commit more than $73 million a year towards life saving research, especially when far less deadly diseases enjoy government appropriations of upwards and beyond of $1 billion a year towards specific disease research. The fact that pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis of any major cancer, takes away as nearly as many lives as breast cancer each year, but is 11th on the funding priority of the National Cancer Institute must change. We feel it is completely inappropriate for the Director of the National Cancer Institute to spend less than 2% of the yearly budget on pancreatic cancer research. That is especially the case when the Director allows the National Cancer Institute to spend more money each year on non-cancer related research than on pancreatic cancer research.

This change is necessary in order to increase 5 year survival rates for pancreatic cancer higher than the current 5% and upwards to the 90% that currently exist for breast cancer and prostate cancer. It is now time for Congress to intervene and investigate why the Director, Dr. John Niederhuber, continues to purposely underfund pancreatic cancer research.

How many more noted Americans must die from this disease before change is made in an office that spends nearly $5 billion of tax dollars annually?

It is time to Fund A Cure. Now.

Robert L. Ciervo, Ph.D., Chairman
Fund A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer
12 Kuhars Way
Newtown, PA 18940
http://www.fundacure.com
robert@fundacure.com
1-800-474-2173 fax

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