Taking down pancreatic cancer
January 6, 2012
By Christina Lords
Hazen wrestling coach organizes fundraiser in memory of his father
In 2011, an estimated 44,030 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
Approximately 37,660 died from the disease.
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest relative survival rate of all of the cancers tracked by both the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. About 94 percent of patients with the disease will die within five years of diagnosis, while 74 percent of people living with the disease will die within the first year of diagnosis.
But to Hazen High School wrestling coach Rory Magana, the statistics aren’t just a set of numbers.
They’re his family’s reality.
After being diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer with metastasis to his liver on Oct. 11, 2010, Magana’s father Rodney died from the disease eight months later on June 18.
Magana hopes to share his father’s story to increase awareness about pancreatic cancer through Take Down Pancreatic Cancer, a special event at an upcoming Hazen wrestling match at 5 p.m. Jan. 13 at Hazen High School.
“People know about Patrick Swayze and Steve Jobs dying from this, and that’s about it,” he said. “People just don’t know about it. That’s why I’m doing this, because that’s just not enough.”
All donations collected at the event will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, a nationwide nonprofit organization that aims to advance research and support patients facing the disease.
The event will feature an information table and guest speakers from the Puget Sound chapter of the action network. Wrestlers from Hazen, Highline, Chief Sealth and Oak Harbor high schools will compete.
Participation from Oak Harbor, where Magana graduated from, wrestled for and coached at, is particularly meaningful, he said.
“The coaches had been there to support my father and my family during his fight,” he said. “I am very grateful to have them involved in this event.”
Magana said while the event might start out small this year, he hopes it will become an annual tournament to bring more attention to the affects of pancreatic cancer, including creating more funding for research for the disease and awareness of its symptoms.
Because pancreatic cancer is one of the few cancers where the survival rate has not improved substantially in the past 40 years and few treatment options are available, Magana said more work needs to be done to bring the disease to the forefront.
He said he hopes the more people know about the disease, the more research funding it will receive — major inspiration for his first event.
The National Cancer Institute spent an estimated $96.7 million on pancreatic cancer research in 2010 — just 2 percent of its approximate $5 billion annual cancer research budget that year.
If residents can’t attend the event but would still like to make a donation, Magana said residents can donate to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network on its website at www.pancan.org.
If you go
- 5 p.m. Jan. 13
- Hazen High School
- 101 Hoquiam Ave. N.E., Renton
- www.pancan.org
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
