Volunteer Advisory Council

Angeli Bateman

Angeli Bateman never forgot when she read about Randy Pausch’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2007. It was the first time she had ever heard of the disease and his story has remained with her.

Fast forward to January 2014 when her own father, a proud U.S. Army Veteran, was diagnosed at 67 with this same disease. After undergoing the grueling Whipple procedure and chemotherapy, he passed away a short nine months later. After his death, Bateman attended her first PurpleStride Dallas/Ft Worth with her family by her side. Just two months later, Team Bumpy was formed for PurpleStride, lovingly named after what the grandkids called her dad.. Today, she and her oldest daughter lead their PurpleStride team as Grand Club members. There, with thousands of others who had walked this journey, she knew that she needed to get more involved. While she has volunteered for various other organizations and activities, she has never come across a more dedicated and passionate group than the volunteers of the DFW Affiliate. It is through them that she finds her inspiration and drive to continue the fight that took her dad. Bateman has served as social media administrator, November Awareness Chair, attended Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. and sat in many local PanCAN Advocacy congressional district meetings.

Bateman is currently serving as Affiliate Chair with the DFW Affiliate. Her role has allowed her to make long-lasting friendships in the pancreatic cancer community. It has given her the great opportunity to share the amazing stories of survivors, caregivers and advocates. She firmly believes that the power of our stories will be the key to change outcomes for this disease.

Bateman was born and raised in El Paso and has her Bachelor’s in Business Administration, with a concentration in Human Resources, from the University of Texas at El Paso. She worked in HR for many years in her beloved hometown until she moved to the DFW metroplex. She is a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful girls and wife to a loving husband. Her hobbies include working out, reading, traveling and watching her girls grow into strong advocates as well! As she guides them, she remembers one of her favorite quotes: “Tell the story of the mountain you climbed. Your words could become a page in someone else’s survival guide.” — Morgan Harper Nichols

Bruce Platt

Bruce Platt had never heard of pancreatic cancer until his mother was diagnosed in September of 2004. Through an online search, he found PanCAN and immediately bought purple bracelets and pins. They became an inspiration as Bruce became his mother’s caregiver and helped her through treatments and procedures.

Before her passing in July of 2009, Bruce’s mother always talked about how there was no voice for pancreatic cancer. It was then and there that Bruce promised his mother he would be that voice. His first step was to form the team Platt’s Platoon for PanCAN PurpleStride Philadelphia in the fall and attended his first Affiliate meeting in January 2010.

Bruce immediately found a family of supporters and has continued to grow his involvement. He started as the Advocacy Chair and in 2014 was awarded nationally for his efforts. One of his proudest moments was to be among the team of volunteers that helped get the Recalcitrant Cancer Act passed in 2012. Bruce eventually became the Philadelphia Affiliate Chair, leading the network in his hometown.

Bruce has a BA in Adult Development & Organization from Temple University and works for the City of Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department, supervising a center in north Philadelphia. He enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and friends, taking care of their dogs and coaching softball.

Dorla Christie

Dorla Christie has been an active volunteer leader with the Delaware Affiliate, where she leads community awareness efforts, organizes events and builds partnerships to expand the impact of PanCAN’s mission. She previously served as PurpleStride Chair and Affiliate Chair, where she led awareness and fundraising efforts across Delaware. She is passionate about creating spaces of hope and support for survivors, caregivers and families touched by pancreatic cancer.

In addition to her work with PanCAN, Dorla is the cofounder of The Brenda & Wesley Charity for Hope and Education, Inc., which honors the legacies of her father Wesley P. Watson Sr. and her husband’s mother Brenda T. Christie by funding scholarships for students and supporting pancreatic cancer research.

Eric Borden

If I had one color for all the clothes in my closet, mine would be a deep shade of purple – a symbol not just of survival, but of heart, hope and epic teamwork. My pancreatic cancer journey began not alone, but with a friend’s diagnosis – a sudden call to action that became personal with my own diagnosis in 2017. After Whipple surgery at Johns Hopkins, I discovered a new power: resilience with a strong sense of advocacy.

June 2019 saw my debut in Washington D.C., at a PanCAN advocacy event, where meeting congressional members and passionate advocates fueled my dedication for this cause. That spark grew as I joined the Broward/Palm Beach Affiliate: first as a volunteer, then as survivor/caregiver chair, and now as Mission Chair – a thrilling ride with plenty of memorable missions to tackle. I am the affiliate’s media representative appearing on local TV stations for both Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November as well as promoting PanCAN PurpleStride. 

Our volunteer network is our heartbeat. The best chapters are still ahead, and together, we’ll write them – one act of courage, compassion and community at a time.

Helen Dillen

If Helen Dillen looks familiar, it may be because she’s moved around the country a few times, and every time has found a PanCAN family in her new city! Her relationship with PanCAN began in her home state of Texas in 2010, two years after losing her grandmother to pancreatic cancer. She remembers being devastated with the diagnosis but that connection has led her to meet so many amazing fellow volunteers.

Dillen first started volunteering with PanCAN’s Dallas/Ft Worth Affiliate and about a year later, moved to Austin, where she quickly found her purple family. She spent five years there, building relationships with teams and fundraisers, before she and her husband moved to Portland, Oregon in 2016. She started there as Volunteer Chair but transitioned to Affiliate Chair in 2018 and under her leadership, the Affiliate has grown significantly.

Dillen’s own family is growing as well, as she welcomed baby Dale in the summer of 2021. She and her husband love to take him exploring all that Oregon has to offer – crabbing, fishing, hiking, camping and taking in the beautiful scenery. In addition to her PanCAN work, Dillen also sits on the board of directors for a local non-profit that is focused on engaging youth in civic activities to better themselves and their communities.

And while her grandmother remains Dillen’s original “why,” she says she has gained so many more reasons to continue her volunteer work and continue to fight for survivors and friends who’ve lost loved ones.

Marquesa Murray

Marquesa Murray’s life changed forever on August 8, 2022, after the loss of her mother, Zola Murray, to pancreatic cancer. Marquesa sought a way to honor her mother’s legacy and keep her memory alive. She never dreamed this journey would bring her to the PanCAN purple family!

Marquesa is a lifelong resident of the great state of Louisiana. She’s originally from Lafayette, La. but currently resides in the Greater New Orleans area. She has eagerly served the residents of Louisiana as a PanCAN volunteer leader and has recently accepted a national volunteer role as a member of the PanCAN Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC).

Professionally, Marquesa is a Regional TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Consultant for the Department of Child and Family Services, where she builds partnerships with state and local entities. She also facilitates group learning events for professionals, in addition to providing consultation and program guidance.  

She is driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence and genuine passion in all that she does. Her journey thus far has been marked by accomplishments, collaborative endeavors and a commitment to continuous growth. As she looks ahead, she is excited about opportunities to contribute and innovate in her respective field and organizations. She looks forward to the possibility of connecting and collaborating for the mutual benefit of PanCAN.

Mimi Leonard

Mimi Leonard is the ultimate best friend, volunteering for PanCAN in honor of her closest friend’s husband, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018. Shortly after that, another friend passed away within two years of being diagnosed. That’s when Mimi knew she could use her voice in a bigger way.

Today, Mimi is the Advocacy Chair for PanCAN’s Colorado Affiliate and also serves on the Health Equity Committee, roles that put her professional experience to use. She is retired from the Littleton, Colo., Public School system where for 33 years, she served as teacher, administrator and Coordinator of Career and Technical Education. She currently works as an independent contractor, managing an educational outreach program for the Army and teaching college classes.

In her spare time, Mimi enjoys singing, reading, swimming, being outdoors and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Rob Caruano

Rob’s pancreatic cancer journey began with crippling pain in his abdomen followed by two months of testing intended to “rule out” pancreatic cancer. Instead, each test brought him one step closer to the inevitable. Diagnosed in February 2022, Rob underwent a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy (removal of the spleen and most of the pancreas) in April 2022, followed by six months of chemotherapy to help prevent recurrence. The initial results were outstanding and he remained cancer-free for two years. However, in May 2024, Rob’s cancer came back, and he has been in active treatment ever since.

PanCAN was one of the first places Rob turned to for information and support. He began volunteering with the New York City Affiliate in January 2023, taking on the role of Advocacy Chair for the 17 congressional districts in the metro NYC area.

Rob and his husband are also active PurpleStride fundraisers and participants. Additionally, he has helped PanCAN raise awareness through several local TV appearances and profiles on PanCAN’s website. He joined the Volunteer Advisory Council in 2025.

Rob has spent his career working to raise awareness and increase education of life-threatening diseases. He currently leads US and global oncology patient advocacy efforts for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals – a role he began several years before becoming a patient himself. He cultivates collaborative relationships with dozens of patient advocacy groups and professional societies to address unmet patient needs, instill the patient perspective throughout the drug development process, deliver programs that improve health outcomes and elevate the patient voice in the policy arena. Previously, Rob spent 15 years working in HIV advocacy and communications for the US Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and Gilead Sciences.

Rob lives in Manhattan with Peter, his husband of 23 years. They are both actively involved in their church and were the first officially sanctioned same-sex marriage in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. In his spare time, Rob enjoys traveling, going to the gym, reading and checking out the latest NYC restaurants.

Sue Popik

Sue Popik vividly recalls the day in 2015 when her daughter Becca casually mentioned over lunch: “Mom, your eyes are yellow.” Within a few days, Sue was diagnosed with Stage III pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, beginning a year-long journey of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. She has been disease free since her surgery eight years ago.

For several months before her diagnosis, Sue had experienced subtle signs: vague stomach/back pain and digestive issues that she thought were related to stress, itchy skin that she attributed to her chronic eczema, and unexpected weight loss. With a known BRCA2 mutation, which heightens pancreatic cancer risk, and a two-time history of breast cancer, Sue now wonders why she didn’t pay closer attention to these signals. But at the time, pancreatic cancer just wasn’t on her radar.

Despite the whirlwind of her diagnosis, Sue’s story gave rise to a glimmer of hope. It led Becca and her sister, Jenica, to discover the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and they marked their debut in PurpleStride San Francisco just four months later. “Sue & Peter’s Striders,” formed in Sue’s honor and in memory of a dear friend who succumbed to pancreatic cancer just months before Sue’s diagnosis, raised over $20,000 that year. The team has continued their impressive fundraising ever since, boasting at least eight Grand Club members for each of the past three years, ranking first in fundraising for PurpleStride San Francisco, and landing among the top 15 teams nationally.

Inspired by PurpleStride’s camaraderie, Sue decided to volunteer for PanCAN. Much to her surprise, she soon found herself Chair of the San Francisco Affiliate, a position she has held since 2020. In this role, Sue has been privileged to work alongside a dedicated group of volunteers, all united by their personal encounters with pancreatic cancer and their shared passion for PanCAN’s mission: creating a world where all pancreatic cancer patients can thrive.

Before her retirement, Sue practiced law for 45 years. She lives on the San Francisco Peninsula with her supportive husband of 53 years and a couple of not-too-bright cats. When she’s not attending to PanCAN business, Sue finds great joy in hanging out with her family, including her 4 grandchildren; reading trashy detective novels; and feeding people.

Sue’s journey with pancreatic cancer has reshaped her life, allowing her to become an active force within the PanCAN community. She looks forward with great enthusiasm to her role as a member of the VAC.

Tripp Razor

Tripp Razor began volunteering with PanCAN’s Raleigh-Durham Affiliate in 2015 after losing his mother to pancreatic cancer in May of that year. His first experience was attending a PurpleLight ceremony, where he met Affiliate Chair Liz Johnson, who invited him to volunteer. The next year, Tripp volunteered at PanCAN PurpleStride in the accounting tent and from there, became the PurpleStride Chair.

Tripp has a BS degree in Communications with a minor in Business from East Carolina University. He has worked in the banking industry for over a decade and currently works as a Financial Specialist for Pinnacle Financial Partners in Raleigh. Before his banking career, he coached middle and high school baseball and football and worked for the Boys and Girls Club.

In addition to serving as PurpleStride Chair, Tripp volunteers for agencies focusing on adoption and domestic violence. He is also a representative for East Carolina University’s Pirate Club to help raise money for the athletic programs. In his spare time, he enjoys going to sporting events, concerts, festivals and being uncle to his friends’ children. He is a proud supporter of the East Carolina University Pirates and the Michigan Wolverines.