PanCAN Background and History

The Pancreatic Cancer Network, Inc. (PanCAN) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is the first national patient-based advocacy organization to focus on pancreatic cancer. In 1998, a handful of then-strangers found each other in an Internet chat room for people who had lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer. Tied together by a special bond, these strangers shared an aching awareness of the desperate need to focus national attention on pancreatic cancer. They agreed that it was time to educate the public and take action.

In February 1999, PanCAN was chartered as a non-profit California organization. PanCAN opened its first national office in Torrance, CA in 2000 and moved to El Segundo, CA three years later. The 12-member board of directors, nine-member Scientific Advisory Board and a nationwide volunteer staff are integral to the organization's activities and successes. Ten employees staff the national office and there is a Federal Affairs Director in Washington, D.C.

PanCAN works to focus national attention on the need to find a cure for pancreatic cancer. It provides public and professional education embracing the urgent need for more research, effective treatments, prevention programs, and early detection methods.

PanCAN’s goals are:

Education: Inform the public, legislators, federal and state officials, and health and research communities about the need for more research, the risks of the disease, and the latest advancements in treatment, detection and prevention.

Research: Encourage researchers to study the precursors and causes of pancreatic cancer and gene mutations that may predispose people to the disease, as well as support efforts of those who are working to develop effective treatments and reliable techniques for early detection.

Access: Encourage efforts to ensure patients’ access to routine tests, specialty care, and clinical trials by advocating coverage by third-part insurers. Additionally, provide a friendly database of information about clinical trials and updates on advancements in detection, treatment, and prevention, and create a link to connect people with support networks.

PanCAN’s Special Programs

• Team Hope: Team members across the country volunteer their time to raise awareness and educate their communities about pancreatic cancer. Team Hope members raise awareness and raise funds in the effort to change public policy and move research dollars toward scientific progress. Since 2001, the number of Team Hope affiliates has grown from five to 40 and continues to add new members all the time.

• November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month: Due to PanCAN’s efforts, November was declared Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in all 50 states over the past three years. PanCAN events include the organization’s largest fundraising event, An Evening with the Stars, which brings the celebrity, medical, research and corporate worlds together with patients and families to promote awareness, education and hope for pancreatic cancer.

• Patient and Liaison Services (PALS): PALS is a free program that matches pancreatic cancer patients, caregivers, and health professionals one-on-one with trained, dedicated PALS Associates to provide the latest information about diagnosis, treatment, and surgery options and other essential information. PALS maintains its own database of clinical trial information.