5 Questions: Survivor pushes for pancreatic cancer cure

Ask Steve Yedwabnick how he feels, and the answer is an enthusiastic "very well; very, very well."

That's despite the fact that almost eight years ago the Sioux Falls man was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a disease that rarely lets people live beyond six months, even after treatment.

At a national gathering of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan), Yedwabnick learned about the Recalcitrant Cancer Act, which should provide funding to search for a cure for pancreatic cancer and other cancers with less than 50 percent survival rates over five years.

"Prostate and breast cancer have very, very high survival rates," Yedwabnick says. "That leaves ovarian, pancreatic, lung and colon cancer as the worst as far as survival rates. It is projected that, in four years, pancreatic will be second to lung because it's growing so quickly."

Yedwabnick recently answered five questions about his trip to Washington, D.C., and the benefits of meeting with other survivors.

1. What is the most important part of attending the PanCan conference?

"They get representatives from each state, and they organize a rally where they go to see senators and representatives. It was my first trip, but I know other people who have done it for years from our group. I think it does make a difference. Typically when you go to meetings you have relatives of people who have passed. With this you put a face on what somebody with the disease looks like."

2. What made the biggest impact on you?

"Out of 500 people who went to Washington, D.C., with PanCan, I think there were maybe 30 survivors. I think a lot of the people I met there are probably not going to be alive next year. There are others with cancers that don't move as quickly. People are starting to experiment with different types of stuff, but they need money."

3.What makes pancreatic cancer so deadly?

"There are no risk factors and no early detection measures and no cure. There are two areas that research is focusing on: one is to get a cure, the other one is to make people last a little longer."

4. Did you learn anything heartening?

"I met big, top-of-the-line researchers, and three of them made presentations. Every time I saw someone with a survivor badge on, I learned they were already working with these top researchers."

5. What is holding up the research funding?

"A lot of research is being held up because they didn't have the funding they were supposed to get because of (last year's government) sequestration. That cut funding from $25 million to $15 million. The act was passed thanks to broad bicameral support, on Jan. 2, 2013, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. It was co-sponsored by 59 senators and 205 representatives. To make true progress against recalcitrant cancers, those with a five-year survival rate of under 50 percent, a lot of the research is being held up."