Wife & mother raises cancer awareness

LAFAYETTE - According to www.cancer.org, pancreatic cancer is relatively rare, affecting less than 2% of the population nationwide: The lifetime risk is just 1 in 72.

However, the disease hit two people very close to Lafayette-area resident Cathy Ferguson.

In December of 2007 Cathy's husband Ken was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her son Dan stood by his father's side. Ken Ferguson had surgery in January of 2008. Ken still has complications, but he is now cancer free.

In March of this year, Dan told his mother cancer was calling again.

"He said, 'I'm sorry mom' and I said, 'For what?' He says, 'For what I'm going to put you through.' He was just very brave," said Ferguson.

Dan's cancer was in stage four, a grim diagnosis. Dan Ferguson, a retired navy vet, died two months later at the age of 44.

"There just wasn't a whole lot that they could do for him," said Ferguson.

Cathy Ferguson is taking action. Cathy said her goal is simple: to inform and raise money so the cancer that took her son and sickened her husband is easier to detect. She said that way more lives can be saved.The purple ribbons seen around downtown Lafayette are her idea.

Cathy found a sympathetic ear in Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski, whose mother died of pancreatic cancer last year. On November 3 the mayor declared the month Pancreatic Awareness Month citywide.

If you would like to learn more about the local awareness movement Cathy Ferguson is heading up, send her an email. Her address is cathyferguson95@yahoo.com .