Internship Location: Madison, WI
Organization Type: Nonprofit
Policy Areas: Education, Health, Research, and Technology
The Pancreas Cancer Task Force was founded by various members who’d lost close relatives who had come to learn that while many doctors and researchers were interested and passionate about pancreatic cancer, there was no funding or grants available because of the low survival rate for pancreatic cancer that remained unchanged for almost 40 years. The PCTF now consists of survivors, caregivers, doctors, and researchers working to make meaningful progress in understanding the disease, so it can be detected earlier and improve treatment. The PCTF’s main goals include raising funds for research, education, promoting awareness, and providing patient support. My role has involved working with the team to design a Peer Mentorship Program, to match newly diagnosed pancreas cancer patients with survivors and/or past caregivers to advise from their experience with the diagnosis and treatment. Other projects that the PCTF works on include Comfort Totes for patients, high school research internships, and fundraising events such as the annual Role & Stroll. I also design social media posts for the Facebook and Twitter and write articles for the monthly newsletter. This internship has allowed me to explore other healthcare careers, network in a research setting, and truly impact pancreas cancer treatment advancement.