Support The Fight

Against Pancreatic Cancer

To the Editor:

Last November the Danbury Fair Mall graciously sponsored Purple Stride-Danbury, the first walk for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness. The committee for this walk was formed by Ellen Klaus who lost husband Berny (longtime Newtown resident and Newtown Hook and Ladder volunteer) at the age of 50 in 2002. Along with Kristen and Mary Angell, who lost father/husband Ken (longtime Bethel resident), at the age of 57 in 2008, and myself, after having lost my husband Kevin (longtime Bethel resident) at the age of 56 to this deadly cancer in 2007 and my uncle Edmond Aleszka (longtime Danbury resident) at the age of 75 in 2004. The four of us banded together to simply bring awareness to the public of this very devastating, deadly cancer that pathetically only receives two percent of cancer research funding from the National Cancer Institute.

Together we organized and held this area’s first walk in November 2009. Our goal was to raise $50,000 and to have a few hundred people in attendance. We surpassed our goal beyond all of our expectations! Purple Stride-Danbury was attended by 500-plus, and we raised close to $90,000. Under the direction of PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network) 92 percent of the proceeds went directly toward pancreatic cancer research.

We are continuing our efforts this year in honor of Paula Cardinale, who was our honorary chair at Purple Stride-Danbury last November. Paula has been courageously battling this disease since December 2007. She is a woman of deep faith and without a doubt, has been our inspiration to continue to bring awareness to this cancer. Hopefully in the near future, our efforts will ensure more funding for research that will lead to early detection and a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Kristen Angell is our chairperson. She recently garnered a position on the board of the American Cancer Society and will be lobbying for more funding for pancreatic cancer. This past March she attended PanCAN’s Pancreatic Cancer Symposium in Dallas, Texas, as well as the Fourth Annual PanCan Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., in June. She met with members of Congress to lobby for The Pancreatic Cancer and Education Act. Kristen is putting in countless hours to organize another successful walk this year. Without her organizing efforts this event would not be possible.

We are inviting the community to join us for the second Purple Stride-Danbury, a 2.5-mile walk/run at the Danbury Fair Mall on Sunday, November 7. Registration begins at 7:30 am, opening ceremonies are at 8:30 am and the walk begins at 9 am. If you are surviving this cancer, know someone who has been affected by it or would simply like to volunteer for this event, please visit our website at www.purplestride.org

We our hoping, with the help of the community, to have more than 500 people in attendance on November 7 at the Danbury Fair Mall and surpass this year’s goal of $100,000. Please consider joining us or making a donation. Visit www.purplestride.org for more details.

Karen Rowe

Bethel                                                                               August 10, 2010