He would never rest knowing there was still more to do.
I lost my sister Emily to pancreatic cancer 20 years ago this past October. My friend Dave Price lost his brother Steve to the same disease last year. Since it’s World Pancreatic Cancer Day, we asked him to look back at Steve’s journey.
By Dave Price
It’s World Pancreatic Cancer Day. I need no reminder though. As some of you know, I lost my brother, Steve, to Acinar Carcinoma this past April. For me, every day since he was diagnosed has been a day to raise awareness for Pancreatic Cancer.
Steve fought his battle with ferocity, positivity, and dignity. He shined a bright light on the importance of friendship and family, and the incalculable value of both science and love. But his battle is now over.
So what are those of us who fought for him and with him supposed to do now? The easy answer is that we stand down. We did everything we could for him. Now we rest. We heal. We mourn.
That may be the easy answer — but for my family and Steve’s friends, it’s not the right answer. We choose to fight on — for all those just diagnosed, for all those in the thick of the hardest fight of their lives, for all the caretakers, doctors, researchers and families fighting for a better tomorrow. We fight on for generations ahead — who may be predisposed to this dreadful disease but who will be spared, because of progress that our efforts will produce. We push forward because our success is magnified through consistency and community.
My brothers and I are simply following the example set by Steve during his illness. He battled for himself and he fought for all those in this common cause. His philosophy was that even if a treatment or clinical trial didn’t work for him — perhaps the learnings that came from that failure would provide the key to success for someone else. Steve was never willing to concede to the incurability of Pancreatic Cancer or to a life-sentence of suffering and hopelessness. He was committed to making progress against this disease through cutting-edge science, information sharing and community. He would never rest knowing there was still more to do. Now, it falls to all of us — those who knew and loved my brother — and those who simply want to live in a world without Pancreatic Cancer — to continue that work on his behalf. I can’t think of a better way to honor his memory and give meaning to his life, than to fight for others.
Imagine if we all managed our lives with that same sense of goodness, compassion and hope that Steve had. We would be unstoppable.
So today — on this World Pancreatic Cancer Day, put a face to the cause. That beautiful face is my brother’s. Let Steve Price motivate all of us to come together, hold tight to one another — and do what we can to bring an end this awful disease.
My brother’s fight continues — and victory is ahead. He knew that. I know that.
Here’s a list of some incredible pancreatic cancer resources:
letswinpc.org
lustgarten.org
basser.org
pancan.org
Standuptocancer.org
