A Volunteer Q&A Eight Years in the Making

Editor's note: Back in 2018, PanCAN volunteer and advocate Monica Mishra shared her story with the community. Eight years later, Monica is still passionate about ending pancreatic cancer, the disease that took the lives of both of her parents. In honor of National Parents' Day, we caught up with Monica to see what has changed in those eight years and learn about her hopes for the future.

PanCAN: When you look back at your first PanCAN story in 2018, what stands out to you most about who you were then - and how you've grown since?

Monica: When I look back at 2018, I realize I was running on sheer momentum. I was still grieving my mom's passing from 2003, and when dad died of the same disease in 2016, I just didn't have the emotional capacity to absorb a second blow like that, so I threw myself into volunteering for PanCAN because momentum was the only thing keeping me upright, even though I hadn't truly processed my dad's loss yet. Since that time, I have given myself time to reflect on my loss. Back then, my advocacy was fueled by raw, overwhelming grief. Today, it comes from a quiet, steady purpose.

PanCAN: In the years since you first shared your story, how has your connection to your parents - and the way you honor them through this work changed?

Monica: To be honest, it feels like both. Doing this work is always going to be a painful reminder of how they passed on. Whether I'm advocating for more research funding, attending PanCAN events or talking to other families, I'm constantly reminded of the reality of this disease and what it took from us. That sharpness doesn't just go away.

But at the same time, this is the closest I feel to them. When I'm pouring my energy into this work, I'm keeping their legacy alive. It's no longer a reaction to their passing on, it's a way to carry their legacy forward. Holding those two things together, the heavy sadness of the loss and the love for who they were is what makes this work so deeply personal.

PanCAN: You spoke then about being "in the trenches" fighting for progress. What has kept you going through the highs and lows of advocacy over the years?

Monica: It really goes back to a quiet promise I made to myself after watching my mother suffer so much. No one should ever have to go through that kind of pain and suffering. That has always been my anchor.

It's hard not to feel the weight of the lows. Over the years, you lose people you've come to know and care about in this community, and each of those losses leave a mark. It's a constant, painful reminder of what we're up against.

What keeps me going is knowing that this can be changed. It's why I focus so much of my energy on advocacy and social media, getting the word out, raising awareness and educating people on why federal research funding is literally a lifeline. I keep showing up because that promise I made to myself years ago hasn't changed.

PanCAN: Since 2018, what moments with PanCAN have felt the most meaningful or impactful to you?

Monica: For me, the progress is incredibly personal because I have watched it happen both right here in our local community and in the science itself.

Back in 2018, we were just a local Detroit walk. Since then, we expanded to become the statewide Michigan Affiliate and built a community that ranks in the top ten nationally. Watching us outgrow our old space and move our PanCAN PurpleStride 2026 walk to Milliken State Park to hold the crowd was incredibly moving.

Seeing the recent clinical trial results for daraxonrasib was truly an extraordinary moment. Knowing that our advocacy and fundraising in Michigan must have helped to fund research that led to this breakthrough is the perfect bridge between our community's generosity and real, life-saving science.

PanCAN: As someone with a research background, how have you seen pancreatic cancer landscape change over the past eight years - and where do you still see the greatest need?

Monica: The hard truth is that treating pancreatic cancer is still a massive uphill battle. Even with the progress we've made, a disease with a five-year survival rate of 13% is simply not acceptable. For too many families, the options are still too limited, the side effects are too harsh and the diagnosis comes far too late.

The change since then has been a massive paradigm shift. Seeing the science catch up to the point where we now have targeted molecular therapies like daraxonrasib, which essentially acts as a molecular glue to shut down that KRAS signal, is mind-blowing. We are finally moving away from one-size-fits-all treatments and toward precision medicine.

As for the greatest need, it is undoubtedly early detection of this disease. Because the pancreas is deep in the abdomen, the disease is caught too late for most of the patients. We need a reliable, non-invasive screening tool. Early detection will give patients more treatment options including surgery. This is why securing consistent, sustained funding for our researchers is so important. The reality is that 80% of all pancreatic cancer research funding comes directly from the federal government, which makes our advocacy work so vital.

PanCAN: How would you describe you mom and dad to someone who never had the chance to meet them?

Monica: If you never met my Maa, imagine someone with a warm heart, a sharp mind and zero patience for excuses. She was a loving disciplinarian who gave us strong roots and high expectations. At the same time, she was the anchor of our home and the person who first taught me to read and write, instilling a lifelong love of literature in me.

My dad carried that same principled discipline, but his passion was science. A devoted Trekkie, he was fascinated by discovery, logic and the universe. While Maa taught me how to feel and imagine through stories, my dad taught me how to think, question and explore through science.

PanCAN: How has volunteering with PanCAN helped you honor your parents' legacy?

Monica: When you lose your parents to this disease, you are left with a massive amount of grief, and it is easy to feel entirely helpless. For me volunteering became the outlet for all that pain. It was a direct way to channel my grief into action.

PanCAN: For someone newly impacted by pancreatic cancer and considering getting involved with PanCAN, what would you want them to know?

Monica: First and foremost, I would want them to know that they do not have to carry this weight alone. When you are first diagnosed, or when a loved one is, the world feels like it is spinning out of control. But the moment you reach out to PanCAN, you realize there is an entire army of people ready to wrap their arms around you. We have survived this, we have walked this path and PanCAN Patient Servies will help you navigate it.

If you are thinking of getting involved, reach out to your local affiliate and remember every single effort matters. You don't have to lead a massive campaign on day one. Just showing up to a walk, sharing a post, reaching out to your elected members, or talking to another family is a victory. This community is fueled by shared hope and shared action, and there is a place here for you, exactly as you are.