The Pancreatic Cancer Collective, an initiative of the Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), announced today the launch of a new public service announcement (PSA) campaign.
In collaboration with SU2C Ambassadors – actor and comedian Marlon Wayans, and actress and Emmy Award-winning comedian Tiffany Haddish – the PSA aims to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer clinical trials. The print and radio PSA campaign launches today in English and Spanish in advance of World Pancreatic Cancer Day on November 18. The PSA will be placed across print, digital, radio and out-of-home media outlets.
Marlon Wayans, whose credits include Respect and On The Rocks, and Tiffany Haddish, whose credits include Girls Trip and TBS’ The Last O.G., joined forces on the PSA to bring awareness to the cutting-edge treatments available through pancreatic cancer clinical trials and to increase awareness in Black communities, which have around a 30% higher pancreatic cancer incidence rate than any other racial or ethnic group.
“I’m honored to lend my support to this very important campaign to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer clinical trials,” said Haddish. “It is important for diverse communities to have representation in cancer research to ensure that treatments work for everyone, so we can save more lives.”
“Many of us are impacted by the loss of a loved one to cancer, including myself,” said Wayans. “Last year I lost a dear friend to this disease who profoundly impacted my career and life. Her loss is part of my inspiration for becoming an advocate for taking care of your health. I’m proud to be a part of this campaign to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer research and encourage patients to learn more about clinical trials.”
Pancreatic cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The Pancreatic Cancer Collective’s new campaign aims to raise awareness about treatment options and to increase diversity in pancreatic cancer clinical trials, so patients of all racial and ethnic backgrounds benefit equally from the newest cancer treatments.
“We are incredibly thankful to Tiffany Haddish and Marlon Wayans for lending their voices to this critical campaign and providing hope to pancreatic cancer patients,” said Sung Poblete PhD, RN, CEO of Stand Up To Cancer. “Our collaboration with the Lustgarten Foundation on the Pancreatic Cancer Collective continues to support our mutual efforts to accelerate pancreatic cancer research and improve patient outcomes.”
“While pancreatic cancer has traditionally been difficult to treat, there are more and more long-term survivors of this disease thanks to clinical trials offering new technologies and therapies to those who need them most,” said Linda Tantawi, Lustgarten Foundation CEO. “Our collaborative mission to drive awareness of the incredible potential of pancreatic cancer clinical trials will help us better understand and treat this disease.”
The Lustgarten Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer have joined forces against pancreatic cancer since 2012, jointly funding more than 400 investigators from nearly 70 leading research centers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These efforts include 17 multi-institutional teams, including Dream Teams, Convergence Teams, Research Teams and New Therapies Challenge Teams bringing together computational experts with clinical oncologists, and teams researching cancer interception—studies focused on the earliest diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, even before the cancer may have fully formed. These collaborative teams have planned, started, or completed over 30 clinical trials and the Pancreatic Cancer Collective is building on this momentum to further push the boundaries of what can be accomplished.
The radio PSA was developed by SU2C with radio mixing by Lime Studios. The print PSA was produced by SU2C with photography by Koury Angelo and Matt Winkelmeyer.
To learn more about this PSA, click here.
