Dr. Weijing Sun

During a visit to the Perelman Center at the University of Pennsylvania with a Pancreatic Cancer survivor, Dr. Weijing Sun reviewed bloodwork and shared some of his thoughts on the disease. He has a shy, sweet sense of humor which exudes modesty from such an accomplished doctor. Sun is the Director of G.I. oncology at Penn.
Dr. Sun regretfully admitted that there is no good screening for Pancreatic Cancer. He felt that at this point, we are unable to set definite parameters or guidelines regarding when, why and who should be screened, and furthermore, how.
A regular ultrasound has no clear ruling for pancreatic cancer, and thus, an Endoscopic Ultrasound may be the most accurate test according to Sun.
His perfect blend of a simple sense of humor, and straightforward medical fact make any news have a glimmer of hope.

John T.'s story

Diagnosed in May of 2008, John is finishing up his treatment of post surgery chemotherapy. His journey began in the summer of 2007 when he experienced abdominal pain and lost 20 lbs. He found himself at Thomas Jefferson Hospital and was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. He first underwent a mini-Whipple with Dr. Yeo, which unfortunately didn’t work. He eventually returned and had to have the full Whipple procedure.
Since getting sick, John has lost 110 lbs. The weight loss was a huge adjustment. John realized the true depth of how his life had changed forever when his weight change dictated he get rid of 5 closets worth of clothing.
Hailing from New York, this man who’s not even in his 50’s yet has found good in his situation.
He has adjusted to the routine of treatment, and has a keen eye for what can be done. “We’re dying to get in here.” He has noticed that not only are the infusion centers overbooked and nearly impossible to get an appointment, but the doctors are spread too thin. Another common issue is that there isn’t always information readily available about Pancreatic Cancer once you’ve been diagnosed.
“Age shouldn’t be a factor for this anymore.” John thinks that the old standards of who is at risk for Pancreatic Cancer are now outdated.
“I want more time out of life, I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
Soft spoken but strong willed, John is sure to point out that he doesn’t like to feel sorry for himself, and he’d like to start volunteering for events soon.
“I have to give back the time I’ve earned.”

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Sadly, John has lost his fight with Pancreatic Cancer. John had a sweet, straightforward, insightful nature; and it was an absolute honor to have heard his story and to have spent even a small amount of time with him.
Taryn and Eileen are grateful to have met you John. You will be missed.
Thank you so much.
A page is his memory has been set up on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=115048701862556

Bob E.'s Story

Bob’s journey with Pancreatic Cancer began ironically enough on vacation. After experiencing discomfort during trips to Arizona and Hawaii, Bob went to the doctor to try to find the cause. It wasn’t until a 45 lb drop in weight and a trip to Jefferson Hospital when he was told he has a mass. Initially believed to be benign, he later found out the opposite.
Bob was told he was inoperable because of the way his tumor had grown, and the best advice they could give him was “pray, pray, pray”.
His only option was chemotherapy and radiation. Even with the both he only had a 5% chance of surviving.
Then, a miracle happened. Dr. Mitchell, chief oncologist at Jefferson told him, “We’re gonna do this”’ Bob was a candidate!
Initially going in for a mini-Whipple with Dr. Yeo, and ending up having the full procedure, Bob made it through.
“I think that Jefferson is the place to be for Pancreatic Cancer”, noted Terri Edwards, Bob’s wife.
Bob continued to work as a mailman throughout his endeavor. Sometimes the people on his route would let him come in and take a nap if they could tell he wasn’t feeling too great. “I found out that there’s a lot of good people out there”.
His own positivity and support from his family proved to keep him going.
From being diagnosed as inoperable to standing alongside his wife after this interview, Bob is a glaring reason as to why Pancreatic Cancer needs more funding and awareness, because people can survive it.

*****UPDATE*****
We are sad to share the news that Bob has lost his fight with Pancreatic Cancer. He passed away July 16th, 2010. He will be missed. Taryn and myself offer our deepest condolences and gratitude to Bob and wife Terri for their openness, positivity and support. We'd be honored to offer the same.

Dr. Charles J. Yeo

At 7am on the dot a tall, slender man unlocks the glass door to his office at Thomas Jefferson Hospital. A slight sense of intimidation is washed away by his welcoming handshake and smile. His personal room within his office section sits to the back, and the walls have nearly run out of room for all of his certificates and degrees.
Dr. Charles J. Yeo is a hero to a very select group of patients. He is the Samuel D. Gross Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. His medical accomplishments and dedication span states and decades, and he is with us now, in Philadelphia, PA.
“My parents wanted me to be a priest”, he mentioned, looking up from his coffee cup. For a man with so little time, and so many things to be proud of, it was borderline impossible to get him to talk about himself. He stays focused on what can be done future tense to fight Pancreatic Cancer.
"In order to work with cancers like pancreas cancer, you have to hate Cancer. I hate Cancer. Dealing with cancer is a battle and you have to be willing to go to war."
Dr. Yeo has led the battle via Whipple surgery himself over 900 times, and scrubbed in over 1,200.
How do we fight this cancer before we even know we have it? There is no certain answer, but there are some things we could do without according to the doctor: tobacco and fast food. These two common evils reek havoc on our bodies.
A major issue for patients outside of an affluent metropolitan area with up to date medical facilities is travel. “You’d think we were asking them to come to Mars”.
Dr. Yeo pointed out that while many people may get their surgery in Philadelphia, they then stay closer to home where the medical resources and care are not as up to date. Is it for convenience? Comfort level? Financial strain? Every person is different, but Dr. Yeo insists that doctors everywhere must stay up to date in order to fight this cancer together.
Dedication to moving forward, learning more about this terrible disease and most importantly, getting everyone on the same page is what Dr. Yeo strives for. He selflessly works to find the greater good, and hopefully one day, a cure.