Living Hope

How Can Awareness and Advances in Treatment Improve Pancreatic Cancer Outcomes?

This episode features Dr. Allison Ocean discussing the critical aspects of pancreatic cancer, emphasizing the importance of awareness, early detection, and advancements in treatment. It covers the pancreas's function, challenges in diagnosing pancreatic cancer early, and key symptoms like back pain and jaundice. Dr. Ocean explains the two main types of pancreatic cancer—adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine tumors—and their impact on treatment. The episode explores current treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, while highlighting the role of precision medicine. Risk factors such as family history, diabetes, smoking, and genetic mutations are discussed, along with the growing research and advocacy efforts aimed at improving patient outcomes and support through organizations like Let’s Win Pancreatic Cancer.

 

What is the ViewRay MRIdian and how is it used for pancreatic cancer patients?

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.  It's that simple. 

This is the only machine that uses MRI imaging to visualize the tumor. Tumors move with each breath and this machine allows the tracking of the tumor in real time allowing them to be precise in delivering treatment.

This episode of Living Hope is dedicated to the donors of the View Ray MRIdian Dean and Gerda Koontz

#DeanandGerdaKoontz #PancreaticCancer #Hoag Health

See the ViewRay MRIdian https://youtu.be/RRx8kd0vaXw

 

 

A woman goes from Caregiver to Patient after losing her husband to pancreatic cancer

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.  Natascha became her Caregiver and was very supportive and involved in her healing journey.  Susie decided to take a little different route for her healing.  Susie shares her unique journey from Caregiver to Patient/Survivor and Natascha shares her journey as Caregiver for her mom.  Hear their inspirational journey.

"As long as you speak my name, I shall live forever." This episode is dedicated to Susie's husband, Peter Lemieux.

Christina Parrish diagnosed with pancreatic cancer starts a non profit foundation to help others with cancer

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 affected by cancer, in Maine.  Christina was in great shape and exercised regularly. She will share her journey with us and how her workout on a Pilates ball sent her to the doctor.

If you or anyone you know is in Maine you can contact The Purple Iris Foundation 

• https://www.purpleirisfoundation.com/
• purpleirisfoundation@gmail.com
• PHONE: 207-579-1969

"As long as you say my name, I shall live forever." This episode of Living Hope is dedicated to Peggy Kessler.  Peggy was diagnosed in 2001 and died in 2018.  Chris and I had the honor of meeting Peggy.  Peggy was a great inspiration not only to us but those she came in contact with.

 

”They come not in single spies but they come in battalions.”

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 sharing her journey with us.  Kitty shares advice given to her husband from her Dr "Your wife is not a statistic, she is a person."  As well as her own advice, "Dont' lose hope, don't lose hope, be here while you're here."

"As long as you speak my name, I shall live forever." This episode is dedicated to Charlotte Rae, a great inspiration and the woman who introduced us.  We love you Charlotte!

Kitty Swink is an actress, activist, artistic director and a two time cancer survivor. She thought when at 39 she survived Breast Cancer she was done. Not so fast. 12 1/2 years ago at 49, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Pancreatic Cancer, had a Whipple Procedure, chemo, radiation and more chemo and now at 62 she still shows no signs of disease. Grateful to be healthy and working at her craft she devotes a lot of time to helping others diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer move forward with their lives. It has blessed her with many great friends, not the least of which is her adopted mom, Charlotte Rae.

Her career began in commercials, regional theatre and off Broadway. She moved to California with husband of the year, every year, actor Armin Shimerman. She has appeared on dozens of television shows starting from It's Garry Shandling's Show and Designing Women, through Star Trek DS9 and Law and Order, on through The Fosters. She currently has two films on the Festival circuit, Penumbra and Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse. She is Associate Artistic Director of the award winning Antaeus Theatre Company. She has been nominated for Ovation, LA Drama Critic and Broadway World Awards and she has received an Independent Series Award, multiple Scenie Awards and an LA Drama Critics Award.  She is a former National VP of Screen Actors Guild.

Why has Pancreatic cancer gone from a single digit number to 11% survivor rate?

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 we are seeing this increase.

This episode of Living Hope is dedicated to PanCAN's Survivor Council and Survivor Council Alumni. The Survivor Council was formed to represent the voice of survivors and they are committed to ensuring that the survivor perspective is integrated into all that PanCAN does.

 

How a man goes from being healthy, to a diabetic with an inoperable pancreatic cancer tumor to being stable.

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 diagnosed with an inoperable tumor.  The tumor was wrapped around his veins, and lying against his aorta.

Ken took good care of himself, ate right and was active. He was a power walker and one day on a walk with his wife Rebecca, he couldn’t keep up with her. Rebecca insisted he go see his doctor. Tests were done and Ken was told he was a diabetic and started on insulin immediately. After starting insulin, Ken still felt lousy, so his wife made an appointment with an endocrinologist. Ken, shares his journey starting with his diagnosis of an inoperable pancreatic cancer tumor, his treatment with chemotherapy, the use of the new Cyber-Knife, his eight years "stable status" and a book he and his wife wrote together. Ken and Rebecca Parme wrote a book “In The Gaze of The Divine, Life with Pancreatic Cancer.” from the patient/survivor and caregiver point of view. Available on Amazon.  Ken has also written a children's book available on Amazon “The Adventures of Madde Mckinsey

This episode of Living Hope is dedicated to Ken's wonderful, wife and Caregiver, Rebecca. We want to leave you with a quote from their book, “May we all get to the place where we can accept -let go- and focus on the blessing of the day.”

Paul and I had a chat about COVID, PurpleStride, positive thinking and future episodes.

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

 

A woman deals with the roller coaster ride of diagnosis, being cancer free, to reoccurrence.

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 my God, I can't have my parents bury me."  Laurie shares her inspirational journey through the roller coaster ride of diagnosis, the Whipple, chemotherapy, radiation, being cancer free to reoccurrences, only OC Talk Radio, Orange County’s only community radio station, live streamed from UCI Beall Applied Innovation Center at the Cove.

 

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What is a Caregiver?

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 errands, meals, personal needs.  There is a lot to being a Caregiver, many challenges, roll coaster of emotions. Even with all these feelings there are some good things that can come out of this difficult situation. Listen as we have a very open and honest discussion here only on OC Talk Radio, Orange County's only community radio station streaming live from UC I Beall Applied Innovation at the Cove.

This episode of Living Hope is dedicated to all Caregivers and thank them for their care, support and love during our journey.  I’d like to end with a quote from Former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter: “There are only four kinds of people in this world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers. Caregiving is universal.”