Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (middle) is joined by cancer survivor Janet Haught (left) and volunteer Annette Fetty-Santilli has he proclaims November Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. (photo/Steven Allen Adams)

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog

CHARLESTON — In a proclamation this morning, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin named November Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

“For those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the treatment is tough,” Tomblin said. “It’s important I offer my support and proclaim November Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. “Please don’t ignore even the smallest sign. If you do not feel well, go to your doctor as quickly as possible.”

Tomblin was joined by Annette Fetty-Santilli, a volunteer with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), and Janet Haught, a pancreatic cancer survivor for over two years.

“It’s a great conclusion,” Fetty-Santilli said. “Pancreatic cancer if the fourth leading cause on cancer death in the United States and it’s extepected there will be 1,099 West Virginians diagnosed with this disease in 2011 alone. It’s very important we bring attention to this terrible disease.”

“I’m just thrilled to be here,” Haught said. “The more information we can get out about pancreatic cancer, hopefully the survival rate will improve. I think most people know that less than 10 percent make it past the first year after their diagnosis and less than 5 percent make it past five years. We’ve got a lot of research that needs to be done just to recognize the disease and then to help people continue their lives.”

According to PanCAN, the survival rate for the disease has not improved substantially in the 40 years since passage of the National Cancer Act. Since 1975, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer has moved from 3 percent to only 6 percent. An estimated 44,030 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 37,660 will die from the disease by the end of 2011.

Watch video of the proclamation below:

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