MONROE — To celebrate November as the designated worldwide Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month, purple light events are held all over the globe to raise awareness to this deadly disease. 

A purple light event, “Create a Glow for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness” is planned for 5 p.m. Nov. 11 on the Square in Monroe. Dani Maxwell from Channel 27 will emcee the event and share her own experiences with the disease. Registration will start at 4:45 p.m.

Those who have lost loved ones to this disease or have been touched by it in any way will be given a chance to share their story. There will a purple quilt raffled off with the proceeds going directly to PC research as well as several other presentations. 

At the end of the ceremony purple glow sticks will shine a light on the courthouse square as a reminder of this disease and the lives that it is destroying. There will also be an opportunity to donate to the cause.

The event is meant to bring together survivors and provide inspiration to those fighting pancreatic cancer. It’s also to remember those lost to the disease. 

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has a goal to double pancreatic cancer survival by 2020. This goal was announced in 2011 when the five-year survival rate was just 6 percent. 

Pancreatic Cancer needs far more attention than it’s currently receiving. It will soon be the second leading cause of cancer-related death. About 55,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018. Every day more than 1000 people worldwide will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and an estimated 985 will die from the disease. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all major cancers.

Bring a lawn chair; no RSVP required. For further information, contact Jo Hawthorn at 558-4679 or hawthorn@tds.net.