Middlesex County is inviting residents to lace up their sneakers and participate in the 2025 Annual Pancreatic Cancer Walk on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Roosevelt Park in Edison.
“This walk is an opportunity for our community to come together, support groundbreaking research, and honor those impacted by pancreatic cancer,” county officials said.
The event, organized by the Middlesex County Office of Health Services, aims to raise awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer research, with proceeds benefiting the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
Participants can register online in advance for $20 per person or sign up on the day of the event for $25. Families, teams, and individuals are all encouraged to join. Those unable to attend in person can still support the cause as Virtual Walkers for $20.
Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., with the walk kicking off at 9:30 a.m. The event will run through noon. For more information on registration and donations, visit raise.rutgersfoundation.org/MCPCW.
What is pancreatic cancer?
According to the Mayo Clinic, pancreatic cancer occurs when harmful cells grow in the pancreas, a small organ located behind the stomach. The pancreas helps the body digest food and regulate blood sugar levels. Most cases start in the ducts that carry digestive enzymes.
Health experts warn that pancreatic cancer is often a “silent killer” because it usually does not cause clear symptoms early on. As a result, it is often discovered at a later stage, making it harder to treat. Survival rates remain lower than for many other cancers.
The National Institutes of Health reports that the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer are higher among Black people than other groups.
Black men have the highest rates, with about 18 new cases per 100,000 people each year, while white men have about 16. Among women, Black women have about 15 cases per 100,000, compared to about 12 for white women. Death rates follow the same pattern, with Black men and women more likely to die from pancreatic cancer than their white counterparts.
Research suggests that socioeconomic and environmental factors contribute to these outcomes, along with lifestyle risks such as cigarette smoking, which accounts for about 25% of cases. Additional risk factors that are more common in African Americans include diabetes, pancreatitis, and being overweight.
Symptoms and detection
Common symptoms may include:
Because these signs can resemble other conditions, many people are not diagnosed until the disease has progressed. Doctors rely on imaging scans, blood tests, and biopsies to confirm a diagnosis. If caught early, surgery may remove the tumor. Other treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, and newer targeted or immune-based therapies.
Doctors recommend several steps to lower risk: Quitting smoking, the leading preventable cause of pancreatic cancer, maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise and genetic testing if there is a family history of the disease.
Organizers of the Annual Pancreatic Cancer Walk invite residents to join the fundraising event, which will help to take steps toward advancing research, supporting families, and bringing hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer.