Nicholas Nissen, MD, Team Captain of The Cedars-Sinai Whipplers, joined Star Trek actor and 21-year pancreatic cancer survivor, Kitty Swink, to cut the purple ribbon at PanCAN PurpleStride Los Angeles with Lisa Niemi Swayze, writer, director, actress, dancer and wife of the late actor, Patrick Swayze.
Reality Star Joan Vassos, “Star Trek” Team, Days of our Lives’ Martha Madison & Cast Members and Lisa Niemi Swayze Take Steps to Raise Funds and Awareness for Pancreatic Cancer
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (APRIL 28, 2025) – This past Saturday, April 26, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) held its biggest fundraising event of the year, PanCAN PurpleStride, the ultimate walk to end pancreatic cancer. PanCAN PurpleStride took place nationwide in nearly 60 cities as survivors, supporters, celebrities and special guests walked in solidarity to raise awareness and much-needed funds for pancreatic cancer, one of the world’s deadliest forms of cancer. It is the number one way PanCAN raises funds to fuel its mission and the dollars raised change the lives of people facing pancreatic cancer and advance progress against the disease. Nearly 63,000 people across the country attended, raising nearly $16.5 million towards fighting the disease.
Pancreatic cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and is on track to become the second leading cause. It is the only major cancer with a five-year survival rate below 20%. Because symptoms are often vague and mimic other illnesses or conditions, most patients are diagnosed in the late stages of the disease. There is no standard screening strategy for pancreatic cancer and few treatment options, highlighting the urgent need for increased research, funding and awareness to improve patient outcomes.
“You are supporting PanCAN’s critical work – giving patients and caregivers the resources and knowledge they need to navigate this disease through PanCAN Patient Services; funding research to find a way to detect this disease earlier and find better treatments for patients; and advocating for more federal funding for this disease because we know science follows money,” said Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA, president and CEO, PanCAN at PurpleStride Los Angeles’ opening ceremony. “Events like PurpleStride are more important than ever right now because of recent cuts to federal funding for pancreatic cancer research. We desperately need both public and private funding for this disease to ensure scientists have the resources they need to drive progress and improve patient outcomes, so thank you again for being here today and taking action.”
From coast to coast and across the television spectrum, notable figures joined the fight. Joan Vassos was a featured speaker at PurpleStride Washington D.C., while actors from Star Trek, including Kitty Swink, John Billingsley, and TV writer-producer Juan Carlos Coto, who lost his brother, “Star Trek Enterprise” Executive Producer Manny Coto, to the disease, along with Lisa Niemi Swayze and Days of our Lives’ Martha Madison and many of the cast of the show participated in PurpleStride Los Angeles.
“PanCAN provides critical resources, research, and support—and in doing so, gives the one thing John clung to most: hope,” said Joan Vassos. “I walk in honor of John, alongside family and friends as Team ‘It’s Just a Sprain,’ and I advocate so that no other family has to go through this terrible journey alone.”
Notable celebrities showed up to walk and support PanCAN’s mission in several cities across the country:
At PurpleStride Washington D.C, Reality star and advocate, Joan Vassos led her team “It’s Just A Sprain” in honor of her late husband, John, who passed away from the disease in 2021.
At PurpleStride Los Angeles, Daytime TV stars Martha Madison from Days of our Lives and many of the Days’ cast members formed their own PurpleStride team, “Hogey’s Home Runners” in honor of TV’s greatest hero—and their on-screen dad—Drake Hogestyn, who portrayed John Black. After losing Drake to pancreatic cancer, they came together at PurpleStride Los Angeles to raise funds and awareness in his memory.
Other notable celebrities at PurpleStride Los Angeles included:
- Lisa Niemi Swayze: Writer, director, actress, dancer and wife of the late actor, Patrick Swayze, who passed from pancreatic cancer. Lisa cut the purple ribbon at PurpleStride Los Angeles.
- Star Trek Team: Once again leading the charge for team “Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer” are the inspiring Kitty Swink, a 21-year pancreatic cancer survivor from “Deep Space Nine”, John Billingsley (“Star Trek: Enterprise”) and TV writer-producer Juan Carlos Coto, who lost his brother, “Star Trek Enterprise” Executive Producer Manny Coto, to the disease. This dedicated team boldly went where they’ve gone before and participated in their fifth PanCAN PurpleStride!
- Rosa Blasi, Actress (“The Thundermans”)
- “Days of Our Lives” cast members including: Brandon Beemer, Raven Bowens, Heather Boyd, Rachel Boyd, Bryan Datillo, Kennedy Garcia, Alice Halsey, Tina Huang, Cherie Jimenez, Abigail Klein, Victoria Konefal, Dan Feuerriegel, John Paul Lavoisier, Stephen Nichols, Shi Ne Nielson, Ashley Puzemis
Notable individuals who have succumbed to pancreatic cancer in recent years include Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, talk show host Jerry Springer, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, producer Quincy Jones and U.S. Representative John Lewis, to name a few.
Donations can still be made by visiting purplestride.org. PanCAN PurpleStride is generously supported by leading national partner, Revolution Medicines, and national sponsors Ipsen and AbbVie. For more information about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its urgent mission to save lives, visit pancan.org or follow PanCAN on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is the leading organization dedicated to advancing progress against pancreatic cancer. We empower patients and caregivers with the resources and knowledge they need to advocate for the care they deserve; we are pioneering the advancement of an early detection strategy for pancreatic cancer and revolutionizing the development of advanced and personalized treatments; and we are building and mobilizing the pancreatic cancer field to ensure better outcomes for all those who face pancreatic cancer today and all those who will fight this disease tomorrow.
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Media Contacts:
Stephanie Berman, Smithhouse Strategy, 917-617-5667, [email protected]
Julie Vasquez, PanCAN, 310-697-9129, [email protected]
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source pancan.org ’
