Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day 2011: Interview with Bonnie Badenchini, Coordinator of the Pancreas Center at NYP/Columbia

The Pancreas Center will hold its Annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the Vivian and Seymour Milstein Family Heart Center. At this free event, experts from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, The Pancreas Center, and The Muzzi Mirza Pancreatic Cancer Prevention & Genetics Program will provide a free patient education program about screening and early detection of pancreatic cancer.

In the following interview, Bonnie Badenchini, Coordinator for the Pancreas Center, explains the history behind this event.

Question: When was the first NYP/Columbia Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day held? Why did the doctors and staff decide that an event like this was needed?

Bonnie: The initial group of doctors that would later form The Pancreas Center came together in the mid-1990′s. The medical field was starting to realize that pancreatic cancer required a multi-disciplinary approach that included interventional gastroenterologists, oncologists, and surgical specialists. In 2005, our group at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia was officially launched as The Pancreas Center.

Dr. John Chabot felt that a forum was needed where findings, new research, and our innovative approaches could be communicated to other NYP/Columbia doctors and the community at large. This meeting could also provide patients and their families an opportunity to speak with Pancreas Center doctors outside the confines of a medical office. So from that need, the first Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day was planned.

Question: How has Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day changed over time?

Bonnie: As can be the case with first-year events, it was difficult to get the word out for our first event and attendance was low. But we believed in the purpose and necessity of this event and have proudly watched it grow in attendance to 125 in 2010.

Another important and more exciting difference is our agenda of topics. Today, there are more research studies and clinical trials to discuss. Since our center’s formation we’ve started to address pancreatic cancer prevention and screening techniques, and can provide attendees with the news on our findings in those areas.

We will also discuss the addition to the Pancreatic Cyst Surveillance Program headed by Dr. John Allendorf. With this program we are establishing methods to monitor pancreatic cysts that could potentially turn into cancer.

Question: What differences will attendees see this year compared to last year’s event?

Bonnie: For the first time this year we are going to have a patient speaker. We believe that others who have been touched by this disease will draw strength and support by hearing from a peer. As Dr. Chabot has said, “All a patient with pancreatic cancer and their family have is hope.” Our goal is to provide as much hope as it takes to inspire patients to push through, families to stay strong, and physicians to keep looking for a cure.

Question: What was one of your most inspiring moments at a Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day?

Bonnie: Every Awareness Day inspires me. I have been with the Pancreas Center from the beginning and have watched this center grow and achieve goals that have affected so many lives. What has touched me the most has not only been the growth in attendees but the increase in number of survivors.

Question: Pancreatic cancer has been in the news recently with the stories of Steve Jobs, Pavarotti and Patrick Swayze. Do you think this is making a big difference in the general public’s awareness of pancreatic cancer?

Bonnie: I do believe this does makes a difference. If the passing of a celebrity from pancreatic cancer helps to make people more aware of it, and they take steps to obtain screening for themselves or loved ones, then some positive effect has happened.

Question: Will those who cannot attend the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day be able to see copies of the presentations?

Bonnie: Yes, we will put these on our web site www.pancreascenter.org and post them to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pancreascenter. The best thing to do is to “like” our Facebook page. Then our messages will appear on readers’ walls when they are posted.

Question: Is there anything else about the services and facilities within the Pancreas Center that you would like to share?

Bonnie: At the Pancreas Center we know all too well that being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is devastating for patients as well as their families. We do everything possible to provide the best care for everyone involved with the diagnosis. The staff, nurses, and doctors all work tirelessly to help patients not just survive, but maintain as full and vibrant a life as possible. Meanwhile we continue to strive for the ultimate goal of finding a cure for this disease.

For more information on the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day and to register, please visit our Annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day event page. Free parking is available and should be requested at the time of registration.

Interview by Bradley Jobling

Tagged as: Allendorf, cancer, Chabot, pancreas