According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 78 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in their lifetime; a rate that has been steadily climbing since the year 2000. In fact, pancreatic cancer continues to be the focus of much research as many experts believe that it is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer death – behind lung cancer – in the U.S. by the year 2020. Pancreatic cancer -as with all other types of cancer – is treated most successfully in the early stages of the disease; which makes early diagnosis of critical concern. To that end, the Sandler-Kenner Foundation is committed to raising awareness and supporting the advancement of early detection and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The Foundation was started by Gregory A. Echt, M.D. and his wife, Susan T. Echt and named for their dear friends Michael Sandler and Peter Kenner – two men who lost their lives to pancreatic cancer – as so many do – because the disease was diagnosed long past the time when treatment would have had any opportunity for success. It is with these men in mind – as well as the thousands like them – that we continually strive to improve the research about pancreatic cancer; research that is the key to improving the ability to detect and identify this notoriously difficult to diagnose disease. Earlier detection methods provides the opportunity for a faster, more aggressive treatment that will literally save and extend lives; a dramatic improvement for a disease that currently has an average three to six month survival rate following diagnosis. At the Sandler-Kenner Foundation, we strongly believe that these statistics are unacceptable; and we are committed to helping change the landscape of pancreatic cancer research. But we can’t do it without your support. We ask that you join with us to affect real change and offer hope for those who have been diagnosed – and will be diagnosed – with pancreatic cancer.