In the summer of 2011, John Stencel knew something wasn’t right. He was unable to eat as he normally would and lost an alarming 55 lbs. for no apparent reason. Over the next few months, the Maple Grove resident would undergo continuous medical exams, determined to find answers.
“Our dad was persistent,” Stencel’s daughter, Katie Lyles, says. “He was checked with every test imaginable.”
That November his persistence lead to a looming diagnosis: pancreatic cancer.
And so began Stencel’s journey through treatment with the support of family, friends and one fundraiser in particular called PurpleRide.
PurpleRide is an event inspired by two men who biked cross-country to raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) in honor of their mother. This year, the Twin Cities hosts its 7th Annual ride with a fundraising goal of $350,000 and two million dollars cumulatively. Participants can choose to complete an 8-mile or 25-mile bike ride, or simply enjoy the festivities from the sidelines. They also have the option to create or join a group, like Team Stencel.
The fundraiser, held on Saturday September 15 at Elm Creek Regional Park, will provide music and live entertainment, kids' activities, rider/team awards, prizes, lunch and a closing celebration complete with a survivor program.
Event coordinator Brenda Coleman, who is also a pancreatic cancer survivor, expects 1,200 riders and 200 volunteers, a testament to the importance of PanCAN’s research in the Twin Cities.
“This is a great opportunity for people to learn about pancreatic cancer – the fourth greatest cancer killer annually, but the least understood,” she says.
According to Coleman, prior to the founding of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in 1998, there wasn’t an organization focused solely on this disease.
“It had very little awareness because of the low survival rate,” Coleman says. “And survivors tend to be engaged advocates.”
Today, thanks to PanCAN and a strong base of dedicated volunteers, the cause is moving forward. Its aggressive national goal aims to double the five-year survival rate of those diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer by the year 2020.
“There is a bill before Congress right now, The Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act, that has the bipartisan support of over half of the House and Senate,” Coleman says. “That bill will require the National Cancer Institute to prepare a strategic plan for pancreatic cancer research and dedicate efforts to increase progress in this disease.”
If passed the bill will also offer increased funding, an integral factor in pancreatic cancer awareness that has long been lacking. According to PanCAN’s website, less than two percent of National Cancer Institute's budget is allocated to this particular form of the disease and greater funds from the federal government are essential.
But the real backbone of PanCAN and fundraisers like PurpleRide isn’t the money, it’s the people. People like John Stencel, whose inspirational story is really just beginning. Today, almost one year after a once looming diagnosis, CT scans show that his cancer has not grown or spread.
The encouraging words come just in time for PurpleRide, where Katie Lyles will be right by her dad’s side, on and off the bike.
“We can't control this horrible disease,” she says. “But we can control our actions in supporting our parents, raising awareness and fundraising through the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.”
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Can’t make it to PurpleRide? Sign up to be a virtual rider and support PanCAN remotely. For more information, registration and donation, visit their website.
