LITTLETON, Colo. — A sea of purple filled Clement Park Saturday morning as nearly 1,500 people gathered for PurpleStride Colorado, an annual event supporting those impacted by pancreatic cancer.
Survivors, caregivers and families formed teams and walked together, raising money for research and patient services through the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Organizers said the event has already raised about $271,000, with a goal of reaching $300,000.
“Everybody out here has a connection to pancreatic cancer, whether they were a survivor, whether they were a caregiver, whether you’ve lost a loved one,” PupleStride Colorado chair Debbie Honeker told Denver7. “We all belong to the same club now.”
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer, often diagnosed at later stages and associated with low survival rates. Pancreatic cancer makes up about 8% of all cancer deaths in the nation and has a relative survival rate of around five years, according to the American Cancer Society.
For many at the event, the day is about more than fundraising, it’s about finding connection with others who understand the experience.
That sense of community is something volunteers like Jill Huff have spent years building.
Huff serves as survivor outreach chair and has volunteered with the organization for 16 years. She checks in with survivors year-round, helping coordinate events, offering support and even assisting with appointments.
“She has such a passion and such a drive for this,” Honeker said. “She's just this quiet soul, and just knows how to reach to them, and takes care of them.”
Huff’s commitment is deeply personal. She is a cancer survivor herself and began volunteering after losing her brother, Peter, to pancreatic cancer in 2009.
“When I looked up pancreatic cancer and found out they only had a 4% survival rate, I wanted to volunteer,” Huff said. “It just it makes me feel good helping other people.”
Since then, she has focused on building relationships with survivors, often staying in touch long after events end.
“We just become friends. It’s like a family,” Huff said.
For survivors like Jack Wlezen, that support can make a lasting difference. Wlezen was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2014 and continues to attend PurpleStride each year.
“She’s the glue to this pancreatic cancer team,” Wlezen said. “It means the world to me to be around survivors and to hear their stories.”
Wlezen said events like PurpleStride offer encouragement, especially for those navigating a difficult diagnosis.
“They need to know that people care,” Huff said.
During Saturday’s event, Huff was surprised on stage and recognized as a Denver7 Everyday Hero for her years of service. Huff, gracious of the recognition, said it takes a village to accomplish what the team does each year.
“I was speechless,” Huff said. “I didn’t even know what to say.”
Even with the recognition, Huff said her focus remains on the people she serves.
“They like coming here and feeling the welcome that we give to them,” Huff said. “It gives them peace.”
Organizers said donations for PurpleStride Colorado will remain open through June 30.
Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.