Advocates from Canada, the US, the UK, Spain, Netherlands, France, Germany, Finland, Norway, Brazil, and Argentina, to name a few, have mobilized to declare Thursday, November 13, 2014 as World Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day.

This month in Canada, the CN Tower, Toronto City Hall, the Ottawa Heritage Building, and Vancouver's Jack Poole Plaza, among other landmarks, have lit up in purple to raise awareness.

Pancreas Centre BC and Pancreatic Cancer Canada will host an education symposium for patients with pancreatic cancer, their families and supporters.  The program will include:

• An overview of pancreatic cancer
• Surgery
• Research & clinical trials
• Screening & surveillance
• Hereditary cancer
• Nutrition and support
• Patient stories
• Your questions answered

The details of the symposium are:

Date: Saturday 6th December 2014

Kasmintan Schrader recently joined the University of British Columbia and the BC Cancer Agency as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Medical Genetics and a staff physician at the Hereditary Cancer Program.  Dr. Schrader’s research will focus on understanding the genetic basis of pancreatic cancer susceptibility in individuals and families affected by the disease.

Kimberly Wiegand has received a Banting Postdoctoral fellowship for 2014.  Kimberly has been working as a postdoctoral research assistant in the Department Cellular & Physiological Sciences under the supervision of Dr. Michael Underhill. 

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country's economic, social and research‑based growth.