The biggest threat to Cheryl Dobberstein’s life was pancreatic cancer, a disease deemed the silent killer, for having no clear signs in the early stages of the illness, for rapid development and spread, and limited treatment options by the time symptoms manifest.

“I miss her every day and want to advocate and bring awareness to this terrible disease,” said Megan Dobberstein, a Minnesota resident who lost her mother, Cheryl to the disease, when she was just 15 years old.

According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics 2025, the five-year survival rate for the illness stays flat at 13%. Experts have said that some of the early signs of the disease are jaundice, back pain, and loss of appetite whereas later symptoms can include bloating, gastrointestinal bleeding, and weakness and fatigue, among others. Additionally, experts

have said that the disease can be masked as pancreatitis, a condition that can cause upper abdominal pain or pancreatic pseudocysts also known as fluid-filled sacs, to name a few.

To spare fellow Minnesotans from enduring the pain that she and family had to go through when her mother was diagnosed, Dobberstein has become active in the pancreatic cancer community in Minnesota.

“Pancreatic cancer is one of the toughest cancers to fight and all of this was new to my family,” Dobberstein said. “I don’t want others to have to go through the same process as my family. I want to bring awareness and be a helping hand to families that are going through this.”

Along with her sisters Paige and Bailey, Dobberstein joined the Minnesota PanCAN board and created a team in her mother’s honor for PurpleStride, a signature fundraising walk held in several states each year including Minnesota that is organized by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). In addition to joining the Minnesota PanCAN board, Dobberstein is also active with the Minnesota Pancreatic Cancer Facebook page, which offers information and support to those impacted by the disease.

“It is nice to have a group of people who have gone through something similar in our lives,” she said. “The Minnesota chapter can be a resource and people can lean on us for support. Everyone on the PanCan board has lost a loved one. I don’t want anyone to go through this alone. I also want to share people’s stories.”

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and purple is the designated color of pancreatic cancer which signals awareness and education. Today is World Pancreatic Cancer Day, a time to honor all those who have passed and been impacted by the disease as well as recognize all the advancements towards treatment and education of the illness while also remembering the work still needed to find a cure.

“It is important to wear purple to raise awareness, show support to those impacted, and remember our lost loved ones,” Dobberstein said. “For me, I want it to be a conversation starter and teach at least one person something about PanCan. When I wear purple or see purple, I always think of my mom and the fight she gave. Pancreatic cancer has taught me to be tough. Having lost my mom at a young age, I needed to be a role model for my younger sisters. Pancreatic cancer has also taught me to be an advocate for something I deeply care about and that early detection is key.”

In St. Paul, 2026 PurpleStride is on Saturday, April 25. PanCan Minnesota meetings are open to anyone and are always looking for volunteers and folks that want to get involved. More information can be found on Facebook (Minnesota PanCan Action Network).