Dear Editor,

My heart goes out to the family of Steve Jobs, his friends and colleagues. He was an American icon and one of the greatest visionaries of our time. His passing is such a great loss for our country.  

I did not know him personally but I shared something in common with him – pancreatic cancer. I lost my own mother on July 15, 2010, a very short eight days after her pancreatic tumor was found and diagnosed. 

Although Mr. Jobs battled a rare form of pancreatic cancer (pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor), his passing, if due to the disease, serves as a harsh reminder of the relentlessness of this deadly cancer and the lack of pre-screening methods and effective treatment options available. We must take action to ensure scientific progress is made to give pancreatic cancer patients a fighting chance.

We need our members of Congress to co-sponsor and pass the Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S. 362/H.R. 733) so that we will have the necessary funding to make true progress against this disease. To learn more about this important legislation and how you can make a difference, visit www.knowitfightitendit.org.

I hope all those inspired by Jobs will honor his memory by joining the fight against pancreatic cancer. Together we can know, fight and end this deadly disease.

Sincerely,

Kelly Smith, Volunteer

Atlanta Affiliate Media Coordinator

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

www.pancan.org