Patrick Swayze Has Pancreatic Cancer
I’m so saddened by this news. First of all, I’m a HUGE Dirty Dancing fan, watch it every time I catch it while perusing the television guide (favorite line: “I carried a watermelon?!?!?!”).
Also, I admire the fact that Patrick and his wife have had a strong, anti-Hollywood style marriage. If I’m not mistaken (and I might be, so feel free to point it out if I am), they’re rock solid. I LOVE that.
Finally … he’s only 55 years old. I just hate when the concept of living a long life and dying of old age is threatened by cancer. Hate it.
Patrick is undergoing chemotherapy right now and responding well. Reports that his cancer is terminal and he only has five weeks left to live are unfounded. However, pancreatic cancer spreads quickly and is seldom detected in its early stages — so it is high on the list of killer-cancers. (For those of you who are interested, The Mayo Clinic is a great source of information on pancreatic cancer and other cancers, of course.)
Pray for him guys. Pray for his wife and family.
When celebrities come down with an illness, there’s a great amount of publicity that is drummed up for that particular illness. Maybe awareness of pancreatic cancer will increase tremendously as a result. We can always hope, right?
March 7th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I was saddened by this news too Karen. I also love Dirty Dancing! It also hit home for me in another way. My father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last April at only 59 years old. They didnt find it until he had symtoms that revealed the tumor was blocking stuff at the end of his stomach and he had a whipple procedure which is specific to that type of cancer. He opted to not undergo chemo which I am supporting as it is his personal choice. The docs gave him 8-12 months to live without treatment.
It is so important to find cancer early which is part of why pancreatic cancer is so deadly. It is good that they found Swayze’s early. You and I both know early detection is key.