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 John thinks that the old standards of who is at risk for Pancreatic Cancer are now outdated.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.”

***********************
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.

Our Premiere!!!

Well, we did it! Yesterday we officially launched our blog and project at our first A Face to the Name Photo Exhibition in South Philly! We were both overwhelmed with emotions and thrilled to see just how many people came out to support us! This project was initially a way that two long-time friends could give back to the community for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month doing what they loved but has unexpectedly grown into something both beautiful and long-term!!! We want to extend our sincerest thank you's to our participants for sharing their story and letting the public in on their personal journeys and connections with pc. Without all of the support from our team we could have never done this!!!

To our participants, we are forever touched that you took a chance on our idea and made it happen! Because of you, we have made a difference and raised awareness about pc this month in a way that both Eileen and I always hoped for. THANK YOU to the following:

Andrea C.
John T.
Tracey S.
Lann S.
Bob E.
Bob H.
Dr. Betsy L.
Connie F.
Dr. Yeo
Dr. Sun
Abbie and Mike C.
Pia M.
Lorraine and Karl F.
Terri and Bob. E.

Our thanks to: Dominick Defino and FilmTech School, Anam Owili Eger for entertainment, Tim Jones and Sheraton Hotels, Lorraine Franz as well as to those who helped us along the way with marketing and pr. To Renee Chenault- Fattah, thank you for coming out to support us!! Thank you to the Philadelphia Affiliate of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network for helping to spread the word about our project and for connecting us to some of our participants!

To the friends and family of those who participated on this project, thank you for spreading the word so much that not only were we featured on the two newscasts last evening but also have sparked interest in others who would like to host the exhibition again!!! Thank you too for coming out to support your loved-ones and our project and recognizing the importance of pc as a cause. Last night was only the beginning of A Face to the Name and we cannot wait to see our project grow!!!

We will continue to keep all of you updated on our progess and future exhibitions. If anyone is interested in purchasing any of the prints featured last night please get in touch and if you know anyone who may be interested in being a participant in this project please do spread the word!!!

Please keep in touch and spread the word about our blog!!!


With love,

Taryn and Eileen

Today's Event

Today we will offically introduce A Face to the Name: Personal Journeys of Pancreatic Cancer from 2-6pm at the Film Tech School on S. Juniper Street, Philadelphia! Please come out today to this free event!

In just one month, this project has truly spiraled into something so much greater than we have ever expected. We have met so many remarkable individuals who's Journeys with Pancreatic Cancer will forever leave a lasting impression and we cannot wait to share with them everyone today! We are so thankful to everyone who has supported us with this project and cannot wait to see this project grow!!!!

If you are interested in participating or hosting this project in the future, please e-mail touchedbypc@gmail.com

Abbie, Mike and Sophie!

A pre-K teacher in the Philadelphia School District for years, Lynda Soroka led a healthy life, she never drank or smoked and maintained a healthy diet.
In January of 2008, when her recurring problem with back pain was accompanied by a loss of appetite, she would soon hear the news of a tumor on her pancreas.
Doctors were hopeful to perform a full Whipple surgery, but unfortunately Lynda was not a candidate as the disease had spread.
She was given 6-12 months, a bit of information that only child Abbie wouldn't let the doctor tell her.
She decided to take part in a clinical trial at the Fox Chase Medical Center. This involved 2 months of chemotherapy, resulting in her hair thinning. Abbie and her dad had the new task of hiding the hair loss from her by snatching up the fallen hair before Lynda would find it!
Abbie is convinced that "Sophie", Lynda's dog, knew what was happening all along. They even got her into the hospital to visit!
Toward the end, it seemed as if Lynda held out to say goodbye. Her brother Bob flew in from Hawaii in the nick of time, "Oh Bob it hurts, I waited for you".
Her fight was strong and her life cut much too short. Abbie and husband Mike were grateful to have the time to process this in steps, the "not hit by a bus factor", a term we may have coined during our meeting.
Please join us to see more of Abbie's and other stories November 22nd 2-6pm, at the Film Tech School, 2019 S. Juniper St. 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19148.

Dr. Betsy

The energetic Betsy showed her "frown" scar with pride during our interview at her chemotherapy treatment. It was hard to keep up with her; she's up to get her blood analysis, back for a second, then a weigh in, then back, then blood pressure, and then after all the results returned with what the doctor needed to see, off to another waiting area, then to another floor, and finally to get the chemotherapy treatment. It was easy to see that Betsy is not content when sedentary...even in the hospital she was moving a mile a minute.
And right there with her is Rochelle, nicknamed "Rivvy", Betsy's sister in law. A tireless, patient, calm companion with a smile who's been right there with her almost every step of the way. Betsy credits Bob her brother and Rivvy with rallying around her and showing support through it all.
"Let people be there for you", is Betsy's advice.
As a psychologist Betsy is used to taking care of patients and had to transition into the patient when diagnosed. Her journey through Pancreatic Cancer showed her that it is ok to receive help.
"When I feel well, I don't feel too afraid". As she shared her story, she would look away slightly, searching her mind for how she felt at that exact moment, and then interject with her thoughts of coping. Simultaneously doctor and patient, Betsy's fight continues.
Please join us to see more of Betsy's and other stories November 22nd 2-6pm, at the Film Tech School, 2019 S. Juniper St. 2nd FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19148.