Lynn Butler - Volunteer

I began volunteering with Craig’s Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society in June of 2008, six months after losing my brother Donnie to this horrible disease. When I read an article about Stefanie in a local newspaper, I contacted her right away and immediately realized that I found a place to put my energies.  Up to that point I felt like no one understood the terrible trauma my family had just been through. I never realized the devastation that losing someone to pancreatic cancer could cause.

I was also shocked and angered by the fact that Donnie’s doctors never talked about hope or possibilities. He was dead to them the day they told him he had pancreatic cancer.  When I started researching about pancreatic cancer I discovered so many terrible facts, like pancreatic cancer affects thousands of Canadians each year yet receives less than 1% of available research dollars. That pancreatic cancer has a less than 5% five year survival rate and worst of all that many doctors do not offer patients the chance to explore the one and only option for a cure (Whipple surgery)because they have already written off the patient.

I have found another passion in life and it is trying to change the outcome for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. There should always be hope and for too long there has been none with this diagnosis. Now is the time to change that sad fact and that is what Craig’s Cause is trying to do. I am so happy to be part of something that is so important.