Mark's Personal Fundraising Page

Mr. Mark E Evans Goal: $10,125.00 Achieved: $9,175.00 Make a gift!

This year, thousands of Canadians will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told there is little hope for survival.

In 2010, my mom was one of those Canadians. Her cancer was found in December 2010, were she underwent an intensive surgery as well as chemotherapy.

During the summer of 2011, while Mom was taking chemotherapy with my Dad at her side, my sister and I trained to run a half-marathon in their honour and raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Canada to support early detection research and improve treatment options. One of the greatest moments for me was seeing my mom at the finish line when we completed the Okanagan Marathon in Kelowna. It was a very special time.

In January 2012, Mom had a follow up CT Scan and was told there was no further signs of the cancer. Our whole family was excited and hopeful that our mom was going to be among the lucky few who survived pancreatic cancer and have several more years with us. For three wonderful months, mom was feeling well and was able to resume her activities that she loved including knitting, visiting with friends, and even travelling to the U.S. with my dad.

In May 2012 my sister and finished the Calgary Marathon in honour of Mom. Unfortunately, shortly after our race, things began to take a turn for the worse. In June, during a family gathering, it was clear that mom was putting on a brave face for us. We knew she wasn`t well but continued to have hope that she would be okay.

After various tests the sad news came that the cancer was back and had spread. To our great dismay and shock, the doctor told us that our Mom had weeks to live. Mom and dad made the decision to bring her home, so on July 18, which also happens to be my parent’s 48th anniversary, my Mom was brought home to die. My sister and I, our two older brothers, and our families gathered to be with and care for Mom and Dad. Mom died peacefully in her own home surrounded by her family on July 24th.

This year I are running the Kathy's Run for Pancreatic Cancer in Edmonton in memory of Mom and in honour of Dad.

I hope to raise $2,000 this year. Any support to help me achieve this goal would be appreciated.

Of all forms of cancer, pancreatic is the most lethal. There is no prevention, no early detection and limited treatment options. Unlike other cancers, the survival rate has not improved in the last 40 years and it remains the only cancer with a five-year survival rate still in the single digits at six per cent.

Pancreatic cancer is North America's 4th leading cause of cancer death but sadly it receives little public recognition and remains severely underfunded. As a result, progress in treating and curing pancreatic cancer has been slow.

Pancreatic Cancer Canada believes ... there CAN be a future without pancreatic cancer but needs your support to make this dream a reality.

Thank you for helping me reach my fundraising goal and making a difference!

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