My heart goes out to the family of Steve Jobs, his friends and colleagues. He was anAmerican icon and one of the greatest visionaries of our time. His passing is such a great loss for our country.
I did not know him personally, but I shared something in common with him – pancreatic cancer.
My mother passed away from this dreadful disease nine years ago and yet since that time, little strides have been taken toward improving the survival rate.
Although Mr. Jobs battled a rare form of pancreatic cancer (pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor), his passing, if due to the disease, serves as a harsh reminder of the relentlessness of this deadly cancer and the lack of pre-screening methods and effective treatment options available. We must take action to ensure scientific progress is made to give pancreatic cancer patients a fighting chance.
We need our members of Congress to co-sponsor and pass the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act (S. 362/H.R. 733) so that we will have the necessary funding to make true progress against this disease.
To learn more about this important legislation and how you can make a difference, visit www.knowitfightitendit.org.
I hope all those inspired by Mr. Jobs will honor his memory by joining the fight against pancreatic cancer. Together we can know, fight and end this deadly disease.
Adrienne E. Turner South N.J. Media Representative Pancreatic Cancer Action Network