Eva always looked forward to visiting her grandpa. He loved baseball and would share the best stories with her about the players and the game. Every time Eva would come over for a visit she would race over to their favorite green chair and snuggle on her PopPop’s lap with her baseball in one hand and a book in the other.
When she was still just a tiny baby otter pup, PopPop had given her the baseball. He had caught the ball at his favorite team’s game. He used to carry that ball everywhere with him insisting that it brought him good luck. When Eva was born, he realized there was something he loved even more than baseball and that was Eva. He gave Eva the ball so that she would always know how much he loved her and so she could have good luck all of her life.
PopPop hadn’t been able to tell as many stories lately because he had been sick. On the days when he was too sick to tell her stories, Eva would tell him a story. Usually it would be one that he had shared with her in the past. She couldn’t always remember every detail so she filled the stories in with new things, sometimes they were pretty silly because she liked to make PopPop laugh. She wasn’t sure her stories were as good as PopPop’s versions but he seemed to enjoy them and if he wasn’t too tired he would always ask for another one. Sometimes, Eva would just sit by PopPop’s bed and keep him company and let him know how much she loved him. When Eva had to go home after days like that, she would leave her baseball with PopPop, telling him, “I got to go now, PopPop. You keep our luck 'til I come back!”
A tiny bit about the Pancreas and Pancreatic Cancer
November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month!
The pancreas is located in your abdomen and helps to break down food by releasing hormones and enzymes. It has both endocrine and exocrine functions, releasing directly into the bloodstream and into ducts as well. Insulin is produced by the pancreas which helps to regulate the body's blood sugar (glucose) levels.
Pancreatic cancer is a particularly aggressive and nasty cancer. It is fairly rare, with it accounting for only 3% off all kinds of cancer (cancer.org). There has been little funding for research until the last 10 years on this particular kind of cancer. Recently with the help of PanCAN, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, there has been more research, funding, and awareness about this particular cancer. Their goal is that by 2020, they can help find ways to double the chance of survival for those diagnosed with this disease. Currently the average survival rate is 20% for the first year and 7% for five years. Lets help PanCAN change that!
To find out about PanCAN or to donate to them, you can visit them HERE.