HIRSHBERG FOUNDATION FOR PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH Foundation Newsletter 2008
Now in our 11th year, summarizing our research accomplishments becomes more and more hopeful and encouraging, but unfortunately, pancreatic cancer cases have increased to 37,000. Decrease in colorectal, breast and prostrate cancers have been on a steady decline since the early 1990’s, due to private funding of research that allowed for early detection and improved treatment options. This must happen in pancreatic cancer! Thank you for your continuous support and confidence in our work in progress! Dr. Rozengurt, Dr. Go, Agi Hirshberg, Dean Gerald S. Levey and Dr. Dennis
Welcome Agi Hirshberg Founder & CEO Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research It is my pleasure, once again, to keep you up to date of our progress towards our common goal, that of a cure for pancreatic cancer. Our 4th annual symposium, held at UCLA recently, has become our version of a “think tank” for pancreatic cancer, attended by researchers, physicians, families and supporters. In past symposiums we have included diverse topics from oncology to surgery to basic science. As our research efforts have grown so significantly, keeping new information to a one day program became a challenge….therefore the topic of metabolomics was selected for being the most important, newly recognized field in the discovery process. In addition to the scientific session, a non-medical presentation was held for our friends, supporters and patients,
where the topic was prevention! This session was extremely useful for family members who have lost a close relative, as our private concerns were answered in a comfortable, informal setting by our expert team of doctors. Our fears ranged from hereditary factors, to nutrition as well as stress levels and physical activity, all things that we can control as a guide to prevention of cancer. We will expand this part of our symposium next year, due to the positive response and attendance. Many of you perhaps have read of our good fortune of receiving National Health Institute (NIH) funding of almost 9 million dollars for the next 2-5 years at UCLA. The news of the grant money came just a few days before the NIH budget cuts this past September! (Talk about our loved ones watching over us.) We should all feel a tremendous amount of pride in reaching this milestone of recognition, as our foundation, with your help, funded the research seed projects to qualify for government funding. A key component of the grants is the newly recognized research field of metabolomics, the topic of our symposium.
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In closing please note the following: What started with my family and I is now a mighty group of over 30,000 members. Together we have raised almost 8 million dollars to date and we keep increasing our budgets for research as more money is raised. Our annual LA Cancer Challenge has become a landmark event for creating awareness and fundraising, thanks to all of you! We will just keep fighting as a group and stay focused on our mission. We know we can not bring back our loved ones, our bond is to stop the suffering, as tragedies strike us daily. I would like to dedicate this issue to Eric Ferris, age 41, who lost his battle on January 18th. Rest in peace and please know that we will continue your fight to win the battle against pancreatic cancer. A big hug to all of you,
Agi Hirshberg Founder & CEO
BOARD OF
SCIENTIFIC
DIRECTORS
ADVISORY BOARD
Agi Hirshberg, Founder
Vay Liang W. Go,
Lisa Manheim,
M.D, Chair
Trustee, Director
Howard A. Reber, M.D.
Michael Scott, ESQ
Murry Korc, M.D.
Stephen C. Prince, CPA
Lee Rosen, M.D.
Jon Hirshberg, Trustee
Laurence J. Miller, M.D.
Lisa Fletcher, Trustee
László G. Boros, M.D.
Mike Berliner, Trustee
Foundation Vision and Mission statement VISION
To find a cure for pancreatic cancer in honor of Ron Hirshberg and the thousands who are diagnosed with this disease MISSION To establish a premier Pancreatic Cancer Center within UCLA for ongoing basic and clinical research on pancreatic cancer early detection and cure. • To be recognized as a patient support reference source for pancreatic cancer victims and their families. • To integrate and unite generations, young and old, through physical fitness participation, while creating public awareness and raising money to go towards our fight against pancreatic cancer. • To be open to assist in funding new projects and/or programs that may improve patient care, treatment and survival of pancreatic cancer.
Fourth Annual Agi Hirshberg Symposium on Pancreatic Cancer Introduction Vay Liang W. Go, MD
UCLA Department of Medicine
T
he 4th Annual Agi Hirshberg Symposium on Pancreatic Cancer was held at the UCLA Faculty Center on February 4, 2008, and had over 140 participants in attendance. The program was divided into three sections. The main scientific program focused on metabolomics, and was followed by a poster session on the various research topics being conducted by basic and clinical investigators at UCLA, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, City of Hope, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, the West LA VA Medical Centers, and the UniDr. Go and Agi Hirshberg versity of Southern California. A concurrent session for families and supporters focused on developing new strategies for the prevention, early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Dr. Gerald S. Levey, Vice Chancellor of Medical Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine, gave the welcome remarks to kick off the symposium. Dr. Levey also thanked Ms. Agi Hirshberg for her Foundation’s vision and accomplishments, and her continued support to establish a premier center for pancreatic cancer research at UCLA.
Family and Supporters Session Pancreatic Cancer Prevention Strategy and Research Direction Vay Liang W. Go, MD
UCLA Department of Medicine
Dr. Go presented the accumulating evidence showing that pancreatic cancer is a preventable metabolic-genetic-lifestyle disease and that foods or their bioactive substance component offer cancer preventative benefits beyond basic nutrition. The DHHS/USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 is a science and population evidence-based guide on diet and physical activity, providing advice and recommendations to promote a healthier lifestyle and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including pancreatic cancer. These recommendations are also supported by the comprehensive evidence-based review on diet and cancer prevention conducted by the American Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, World Health Organization/International Agency for Research on Cancer, and others. However, mitigating dietary effects are the individual genetic predispositions that serve as the basis for considerable inter-individual variations in the risk of cancer within the population and in nutrient homeostasis, which is maintained by genomic-nutrient and metabolic-phenotype interactions. Although genetics is an important component, it accounts for only a portion of this variation. An individual’s overall phenotype, including his/her health status, is achieved and maintained by the sum of metabolic activities functioning under differing circumstances within the life cycle and the complex interactions among genotype, metabolic phenotype and the
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environment. The current framework for pancreatic cancer prevention includes: • Stop smoking • Follow Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 1. Encourage physical fitness and obesity prevention 2. Emphasize a plant-based diet 3. Encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables • Develop public policy recommendations • Develop new paradigm for diet and lifestyle changes as prevention strategy based on individual metabolic genotype and phenotype. These efforts should begin with childhood and continue through all stages of the life cycle.
Current State-of-theArt in the Management of Pancreatic Cancer Howard A. Reber, MD
UCLA Department of Surgery
Dr. Reber discussed three different aspects of pancreatic cancer and its management. He first detailed recent developments in patient care at the UCLA Center for Pancreatic Diseases. New patient visits are preceded by a multidisciplinary conference attended by surgeons, gastroenterologists, radiologists, etc. where xrays are reviewed and a tentative management plan is arrived at. Because open appointment slots are reserved for the patients for various radiographic and endoscopic studies, patients wait a minimum time for those appointments. Most are done on the same day that they are first seen. Thus, decisions about surgery can be made promptly and operations are almost always performed within 2 weeks. Over the past year, patient volume has increased remarkably, and over 100 pancreatic resections are performed yearly; the numbers continue to increase. Dr. Reber then presented data from a national data base that showed the operative mortality rate after pancreatic resections of all types was 0% over the 3 year period assessed. In fact, at UCLA there have been no operative deaths after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer for almost 20 years. Dr. Reber stressed that such an achievement was only possible in a specialist center with experienced personnel in a variety of disciplines. The final area for discussion was the improved survival rate now seen in the UCLA series of resections for pancreatic cancer, and the apparent reason for this. Two groups of patients were presented: 1) patients who were operated upon between 1987-1995, and 2) another group between 1996-2005. The groups were similar in all ways except for the operative blood
NIH AWARDS The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is proud to announce the following NIH awards, granted to UCLA investigators who have been seed grant recipients from the foundation. The National Health Institute’s recognition represents a milestone for the foundation’s mission of funding discoveries of the cause, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer. We extend our congratulations to the following recipients: 1 P01 AT003960-01A1 (PI: Vay Liang W. Go) 09/30/2007 – 09/29/2012 NIH/NCCAM Total amount: $5,675,865 UCLA Center for Excellence in Pancreatic Diseases The goal of this Center for Excellence is to study phytonutrient mechanism of action in both inflammatory and proliferative diseases of the pancreas using molecular biology and metabolomics technology to investigate altered cellular functions. 1 R01 CA123273-01A1 (PI: Anthony Heaney) 10/1/2007 – 9/30/2012 NIH/NCI Total amount: $1,250,000 Refined Fructose Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Growth. The goal of this application is to study the effects of diet rich in fructose on pancreatic cancer cells growth in vitro and in a tumor model. 1 R21 CA124609-01A1 (PI: Oscar Joe Hines) 07/01/2007 – 06/30/2009 NIH/NCI Total amount: $308,000 The Role of CXCR2 in Pancreatic Cancer The study investigates the role of CXCR2 in pancreatic cancer biology and angiogenesis as well as determine chemokine and receptor expression in human specimen. 1 R01 CA122042-01A1 (PI: Guido Eibl) 08/01/2007 – 05/31/2012 NIH/NCI Total amount: $1,463,000 The role of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in pancreatic cancer This project is designed to explore the efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in therapy and prevention of pancreatic cancer using xenograft and transgenic animal models of the disease.
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People listen carefully to Dr. Howard Reber at the Family & Supporters session. loss in the latter group (350 ml), which was substantially lower than the earlier group (475 ml). The 5 year survival rate for patients in the group with the lower blood loss was 35.5%; it was 15.8% in the other group. Dr. Reber attributed the improvement in survival to the decreased blood loss. This finding is consistent with improved outcomes shown for other cancers when less blood is lost at operation, but it has never been shown so dramatically and with such excellent survival statistics for pancreatic cancer. It may be due to immunologic factors which are MORE likely to be impaired when larger quantities of blood are lost, especially when transfusion is required.
Advances in Basic Science Research in Pancreatic Cancer Stephen J. Pandol, MD
UCLA Department of Medicine VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Dr. Pandol reviewed the ongoing and
planned directions for the research program here to prevent and cure pancreatic cancer. He pointed out that there are four major areas that ongoing research projects fit into. These include ones that are designed to determine the effects of phyto-nutrients in our diet on biochemical pathways in the cancer that underlie its growth; ones that are searching for new biomarkers or assays that can be used to identify patients with very early and treatable stages of the disease; projects that are focused on identifying key molecular targets for therapy in the cancer cells themselves or allied participants in the tumor; and ones that use computers and molecular modeling to design new drug treatments for the molecular targets. Success in each of these areas will be necessary to have the impact on preventing and treating pancreatic cancer that we are committed to. With continued support from both the Foundation and grants from the gov-
ernment, there has been phenomenal growth in both the scope and depth of the research program. Moreover, we have recruited an exceptionally talented and passionate group of researchers so that we are confident that the goal of decreasing suffering and death from pancreatic cancer is within our reach.
Symposium on Metabolomics A main feature of this year’s Hirshberg Symposium is the inclusion of a morning program on metabolomics. Among the invited speakers were national leaders in the field of metabolomics, Dr. Henri Brunengraber of Case Western Reserve University and Dr. Edward Dennis of UC San Diego. Speakers representing UCLA included Dr. Laszlo G. Boros, Dr. Katrina M Dipple and Dr. WN Paul Lee.
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Metabolic regulation, from genes to metabolites, dictates biochemical functions, as well as the nutritional and dietary needs of an individual. Therefore, metabolic genotype and metabolic phenotype play an important role in determining the optimal health for an individual. In this postgenomic era, high throughput groups of technologies in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, can now measure and analyze DNA sequences, RNA transcripts, proteins and nutrient-metabolic fluxes in a single experiment. These technological advances have transformed biomarker studies and can now be measured through functional genomics and metabolic profiling. The overall integration of data and information from individual metabolic genotype and phenotype relationships form the building blocks of metabolism-based nutrient-gene interaction and its relationship.
Advances in Metabolomics Henri Brunengraber MD, PhD Department of Nutrition Case Western Reserve University
the liver of a rat. It is interesting that these by-products were formed using known common metabolic pathways. These were the metabolic intermediates of fatty acid oxidation, competing with other substrates in the formation of the acyl-CoA derivatives. Furthermore, these GHB derivatives were also phosphorylated in the hydroxyl position turning them into toxic compounds to the liver and the brain.
LIPID MAPS and Lipidomics of Eicosanoids Edward A. Dennis, PhD
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California at San Diego
In the span of 5 years, Dr. Dennis has established the LIPIDMAPS project and an informative website, www. lipidmaps.org. The website provides chemical structures of lipids, methods of identification and isolation of these lipids; and the related metabolic pathways. Dr. Dennis also emphasized the use of stale isotope labeled lipids in the
Dr. Edward A. Dennis elucidation of eicosanoid metabolism. Using deuterated arachidonic acids, his group identified two different signaling pathways for the metabolism of arachidonic acids through the cycloxygenase (COX) and the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways in a macrophage cell culture model.
Dr. Brunengraber introduced the subject of metabolomics in providing the rationale for the construction of non-hypothesis driven database such as metabolomics. He reasoned that there are many biological phenomena which could not be explained by current known hypotheses. The use of a database often suggests new questions leading to new hypotheses and discoveries. He placed emphasis on the use of stable isotope and mass spectrometry in the construction of such a database which he called isotopomics. He then provided an example of investigation on the metabolism of gamma hydroxyl butyrate (GHB). GHB is a controlled substance which is an analog of a neurotransmitter gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA). Using mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), he found many byproducts of GHB after an infusion of Dr. Lee, Agi Hirshberg, Dr. Brunengraber
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Conference, continued
Functional Analysis of Pancreatic Cancer Genes, Signaling Pathways and Drugs Using Metabolomics
Use of sRNA in Metabolic Research
Department of Pediatrics Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Dr. Dipple is a pioneer in the field of inborn error of metabolism. Using RNA silencing technology, she is able to study metabolic consequences of specific inborn errors in cell culture models. The advantage of such an approach is that it provides model information on diagnosis and management of these metabolic disorders. She presented her study of introducing a bacterial enzyme that could convert two-carbon substrate to glucose into mammalian cell (HepG2). Using gene silencing, she was able to map out the interconnected pathways. Dr. Dipple concluded that the combination of molecular biology approach and metabolomics would be even more fruitful in the study of metabolic disorders.
Laszlo G. Boros, MD
Dr. Boros presented his metabolomics (SIDMAP) studies of cancer cell transformation. He compared the relationship between genetics and metabolomics as the study of the blue prints and the study of the construction of a building. Metabolomics is like a study of the organization of assembling of workers and the flow of materials in a construction. Dr. Boros presented a study of the metabolic consequence of interrupting a signaling pathway in a leukemic cell line. He then provided an example of how metabolism was different when two different k-ras mutations were introduced into a noncancerous NIH3T3 cell.
Katrina M. Dipple, MD, PhD
UCLA Department of Human Genetics
Metabolomics of Amino Acids WN Paul Lee, MD
Department of Pediatrics Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Finally, Dr. Lee gave the concluding session thanking all the invited speakers of the symposium. He gave an overview of the relationship of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics in system biology research. He argued that metabolomics is better suited for the study of phenotype and provide insight into genotype-phenotype correlation. He gave an example of metabolomics of amino acid metabolism showing how 13C glucose could be used to label gluconeogenic amino acids. He then presented preliminary data of using proteomics and metabolomics to study cell specific metabolism of the pancreatic islets.
The Hirshberg Foundation Donor Recognition Wall A 4 foot by 7 foot sign made of polished metal, the sign is located in the lobby of the Macdonald Medical Research Lab (MRL) at the UCLA School of Medicine, where the Hirshberg Laboratories are located. In appreciation for the continued support of pancreatic cancer research, the individual plaques are our way to both thank and recognize our most generous donors (gifts of $50,000 or more). If you would like more information about being recognized on our Donor Recognition Wall, please contact Agi at 310-473-5121.
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A New Face at the Foundation We are pleased and excited to welcome Allison Miller to our Foundation team.
Allison has been volunteering at the Foundation since she lost her dad to his four-month battle with pancreatic cancer almost 10 years ago. She came to us from
looking forward to expanding some of our support programs that we currently offer, as well as starting up new ones. She is really excited to be working with the Foundation and all of the families involved. Please feel free to contact her via email at amiller@pancreatic.org with any questions.
Premiere Oncology, where she worked for many years with Dr. Lee Rosen. Her responsibilities included patient intake coordinating and scheduling. Over the years her passion for patient advocacy and support, as well as fundraising, grew. Allison has gladly accepted the position to help us with family and patient support, as well as with those people who want to “do more!”. Her main focus at the Foundation is responding to patients, families and friends that are calling or emailing with general questions or who are looking for a treatment facility or doctor across the country. Her other responsibilities include coordinating with individuals who want to host a fundraising event and giving tours of our laboratory at UCLA. She is also
How You Can Help
Donate Your Car, RV, or Boat! How You Can Help Order flowers
and gift baskets from www.pancreatic.flowerpetal.com and 12% of your purchases will support the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Send flowers and gifts for Mothers Day, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries and holidays -- with every purchase you make, you will be helping to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.
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Are you thinking of selling or trading in an old car, boat or RV? Why not donate it to the Hirshberg Foundation instead? Simply contact Lisa Manheim at 310-473-5121. We will make all the arrangements to conveniently and quickly pick-up your car donation at no cost to you. We handle the title transfer requirements and provide you with a tax deductible donation receipt at the time of pick-up. As a charitable contribution your car donation could make a big difference.
Cotton & Doyle By Ronnie Raper
Ronnie Raper (left) and family
Daddy go to the Emergency Room. They ran some x-rays and found a mass on his pancreas. They’re not giving him any hope”. I just couldn’t believe it!! I heard those same words twelve years ago. I noticed that Dad’s eyes were yellow by the time I arrived. Where had I seen that before? You want to believe that if you see a train bearing down on you that you can get off the tracks after the horn blows, but we couldn’t change it. Oh, how that fact ripped at my heart. I noticed there was something else different about Dad’s eyes other than the jaundice. He realized that his body, just like a past boyfriend or girlfriend, was breaking up with him. He didn’t want to die, but life was breaking up with him. On December 7, 2007 at 3:00 am, Dad drew his last breath on the hospice bed that had been staged in his living room. Two months later, I decided that there had to be something done to help get people off the tracks of pancreatic cancer. My research led me to The Hirshberg Foundation. I was filled with hope to realize there was indeed a way to fight back and that Cotton’s fight didn’t end on that hospice bed. Those people that knew my Dad called him Cotton, due to his blonde hair. Cotton raised a family of singers and musicians, so we decided to plan a music festival in his memory. Cotton Fest was held on September 29, 2007 on our 17 acre private property in Etowah, Tennessee. We had professional and semi-professional bands playing mainly Bluegrass, Contemporary Bluegrass, and Southern Gospel Music. The event generated $700.00 in donations for the Foundation. We plan to do much better this year by getting an earlier start. There were a lot of growing pains associated with getting our property festivalready. We are looking forward to The 2nd Annual CottonFest which will be held on September 27, 2008. Our family and friends are working aggressively to secure enough sponsors in order to donate a 100% of the proceeds to The Hirshberg Foundation. I am eternally grateful that there exists a foundation of hope for all those like Doyle and Cotton. This was my way of healing...knowing that their life and their fight will continue.
He realized that his body, just like a past boyfriend or girlfriend, was breaking up with him.
In March of 1995 my father-in-law, Doyle Williams, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I remember my own father, Cotton Raper, saying “You and Denise (my wife) better spend all the time you can with him because old Doyle won’t be around long”. Doyle was only 51 years old. Throughout his illness I tried to comfort Doyle and my wife as best I could. Dad kept saying “poor old Doyle....just no hope”. A hospice bed was soon staged in the living room and that is where Doyle drew his last breath on March 20, 1995. Ironically, just 12 years later Cotton began losing a severe amount of weight. At first he was some what pleased because he had always been over-weight, but he soon discovered that this weight loss was a tell tale sign of something much worse. We didn’t give it a lot of thought at first because Cotton was a hospital veteran. He was constantly under the care of specialist due to a rare disease called Wagner’s that disabled him in 1976. It wasn’t strange to us to hear that he was sick or going to have a battery of tests performed on any given day. Cotton had already survived two open heart surgeries in his lifetime and we felt convinced that he would fight through whatever this was. I remember my cell-phone ringing as I got into my car a week later. It was my mom and she said “Son, I made your
How You Can Help Show your support by purchasing a purple wristband, ecofriendly tote or Patti the Pancreatic Cancer Bear. The wristband is embossed with our motto “You Can Hope, or You Can Help” as well as our web address. Bands are $2.00 each and are sold in packs of 10. Our new totes offer a great alternative to those seeking to increase awareness about pancreatic cancer research while being eco-conscious. A stylish way to say no to disposable bags, they are sold in sets of 3 for $20.00. All of these items are available for purchase on our website.
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Jose’s Angels – Swinging AND Running for Pancreatic Cancer You thought that you had a busy fall. While most people were getting ready for the holidays, Jose’s Angels were working tirelessly on not one, but two fundraising events to support the Hirshberg Foundation. Jose’s Angels are the friends and family of Jose Huerta, who passed away from pancreatic cancer last June. Championed by Jose’s sister-in-law, Christine Huerta, and Jose’s best friend, George Piantka, the group raised more than $12,000 for the Hirshberg Foundation in 2007 by organizing both a Golf Tournament and creating a team at the LA Cancer Challenge. Held on November 1, 2007 at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills, CA, the 2nd Annual Jose’s Angels Golf Tournament was an enormous success. The 72 golfers and 125 banquet attendees raised $5,200 for the Foundation and an additional $2,500 for the college savings plans for Jose’s two young children, Emily and Joseph. According to Piantka, the most memorable part of the tournament was not the money raised. “More importantly, we honored Jose and embraced Gina (Jose’s widow), Emily, and Joseph. The kindness of our supporters and the respect and love for Jose was felt, especially by his family and friends.” The inaugural tournament was held November 2, 2006 as a fund raiser for Jose and his family to help with medical costs, loss of income, and establishing college savings accounts. Reflecting back, Piantka said, “Jose loved the tournament in 2006. His energy was apparent, especially since his health (diagnosed June 2006) had improved by November 2006. His gratitude to each and everyone in attendance was expressed in his address at the tournament banquet….. where he vowed to attend in 2007. I am sure he is proud that we pressed forward with the tournament after his passing in June 2007 and that the tournament will continue in subsequent years to benefit pancreatic research and his children.” The golf tournament was just the start of Jose’s Angels busy fall. Christine Huerta organized the Jose’s Angels Team for the Hirshberg Foundation’s 10th Annual L.A. Cancer Challenge 5K/10K Run/Walk. Donning shirts, ribbons and keepsakes made by Chris in memory of Jose, the team members held a banner as they walked along the course at the VA grounds. Through her organization and the generous support from numerous donors who knew Jose and his family, $6,915 was donated to the Hirshberg Foundation through the LA Cancer Challenge website in honor of Jose.
Piantka added, “I am proud of our association with the Hirshberg Foundation and especially proud, in Jose’s honor, of our collective efforts in supporting research and improvements in quality of life in the battle against this seemingly insurmountable disease. As the Hirshberg Foundation’s motto goes, ‘You Can Hope or You Can Help™;’ and we are both hoping and helping. What it comes down to, is, as I have realized, you are never more alive than when you are helping.”
Top: Jose and best friend George Piantka Bottom: Gina, Emily & Joseph Huerta.
Jose’s Angels does not plan on slowing down their fundraising efforts anytime soon. They again will have a team at the LA Cancer Challenge, on Sunday, October 26, 2008. And this year, the Jose’s Angels Golf Tournament will be held the following day, on Monday, October 27, 2008. For more information about Jose’s Angels or their Golf Tournament, please email George Piantka at george.piantka@nrgenergy.com or call 760-707-6833.
“What it comes down to is, you are never more alive than when you are helping.”
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I=: &&I= 6CCJ6A L.A. Cancer Challenge Commemorates 10 Years of Raising Funds For The Advancement of Pancreatic Cancer Research On Sunday, October 28, walkers and runners of all ages were dressed in athletic attire and Halloween costumes shouting, “Let’s find a cure!” as they geared up to sprint the 5K/10K at the 10th Annual L.A. Cancer Challenge (L.A.C.C.). Held at the Veteran’s Administration (V.A.) Grounds in West Los Angeles, nearly 3,000 supporters not only walked or ran the race, but helped raise money to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.
Photos by Mike Bouffard
According to Lisa Manheim, Race Director, “In one morning we raised over $455,000 for cancer research, an increase of 29% from 2006. In addition, our total number of participants was up 15% from the previous year. Our event keeps growing and we were thrilled with the results.”
Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, friends and family saturated the V.A. Grounds. The L.A.C.C. offered participants food, entertainment, raffles, prize drawings, a Halloween costume contest and the ever popular Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast. Kids ages 2-13 years old were also able to join in the fun and show their support with the Kids Can Cure Fun Run and the Halloween Kids Zone.
“In one morning we raised over $455,000 for cancer research, an increase of 29% from 2006.”
“It is a special time for the foundation as this anniversary reflects the progress we have made in pancreatic cancer research in the last 10 years,” said Agi Hirshberg, Founder of the Hirshberg Foundation. “It was especially meaningful to celebrate this milestone with the pancreatic cancer community.” The 11th Annual L.A. Cancer Challenge is set for Sunday, October 26, 2008. Please visit www.lacancerchallenge.com for more information.
Glenda Jane Koffler Memorial Golf Tournament Editors Note: Last year we were approached by Jinny Koffler, a young woman who wanted to honor her mother-in-law and raise money for the Hirshberg Foundation. She, along with family and friends, organized the Glenda Jane Koffler Memorial Golf Tournament, held at Sierra Lakes Golf Course in Fontana. They had 43 participants play golf and afterwards 105 people attended a banquet held at Villa Tepeyac Restaurant in West Covina. After the event, we asked her some questions about her experience. What motivated you to host this event? Our motivation was Glenda Jane Koffler. She was a wonderful wife, mom, grandma, and friend. She passed away on November 30, 2005. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and lost her battle within one month. She was a larger than life woman who loved her kids and grandkids more than anything. I was lucky to have the most amazing woman as my mother-in-law. We chose a golf tournament because we wanted to get together once a year to have fun and remember a great woman. We also wanted to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
What were your results? We raised $5000 through the golf tournament, banquet, and raffle tickets. We also received money from people who were not able to come to the tournament or banquet but wanted to donate in Glenda’s memory. We were really surprised at the amount of money we raised. We had set our goal for $2000, so you can only imagine how excited we were when we realized we more than doubled that amount. How was the overall experience for you as the event host? My friend Chris Zessau and I worked together to make this tournament and banquet happen. Without Chris and many others, it would not have been possible.
“She was a larger than life woman who loved her kids and grandkids more than anything.”
Why did you choose to have the proceeds go to the Hirshberg Foundation? We chose the Hirshberg Foundation because of the amazing work they support in finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. Also, the personal story of Agi Hirshberg hit close to home. She lost her husband to early in life, just as my father-in-law had lost my mother-in- law. Agi’s husband, Ron Hirshberg, seemed like someone who enjoyed life to the fullest. That was my mother-in-law.
What do you think Glenda would have thought about your event? Oh boy, Glenda would have absolutely loved it! Her greatest joy was watching people she loved around her having a great time. She was happy when people were enjoying themselves, drinking some beer and eating lots of good food. She would have been so happy.
Will there be a 2nd Annual Event? We are planning to make this tournament and banquet an annual event. We are already in the works to plan the 2008 Glenda Jane Koffler Memorial Golf Tournament. We hope to double what we made last year! Is there anything else you want to add? There is one more thing I would like to tell everyone. Just one month after my mother-in-law passed away, I became pregnant. I struggled with secondary infertility for years so we were very surprised. We had a beautiful little girl and her name is Madison Glenda Jane Koffler, named after her nana. And wouldn’t you know it...she looks just like her!
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HIRSHBERG FOUNDATION FOR PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION Newsletter 2008
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