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Valley woman with pancreatic cancer is a beacon of hope for others diagnosed

Saundra DeMey-Forrest was given 3 months to live but is fighting the disease and helping others do the same.

The recent announcement by Jeopardy Host Alex Trebek that he’s been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has raised a lot of awareness and curiosity about the  disease. Those stricken with pancreatic cancer typically die within months of their diagnosis.

But a Valley woman is not only beating the deadly disease, she’s working everyday to bring hope to those who’ve been recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

When you see Saundra DeMey-Forrest in the halls at Honor Health Institute in Scottsdale, you can bet there’s going to be a lot of smiles and plenty of hugs. 

"It’s great to see her and she’s so beautiful and positive and it’s inspiring," researcher Mary Tatum said.

But when she walked through those doors four years ago she was facing the grim reality of pancreatic cancer.

"I think the worse day of this journey is the day you tell you that you have pancreatic cancer," DeMey-Forrest said.

But that worst day would bring the best out in the 72-year-old mother, grandmother and retired flight attendant."

I thought if I’m going to die I want to do my best to save someone," DeMey-Forrest said.

So Saundra ditched conventional medicine and enrolled in a groundbreaking trial at the HonorHealth Research Institute and TGEN Research Institute in the Valley. 

Clinical Investigator and Nurse Practitioner Gayle Jameson lead the study that combines three chemotherapy drugs to treat Saundra’s pancreatic cancer.

"The three drugs together improved the statics of survival and response for patients in the study and Saundra was one of them," Jameson said.

Now Saundra says she’s determined to bring hope to people like 47-year-old Craig Hellmers who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

"Meeting people like Saundra and people who haven’t given up because you’re a number when you come into the world of pancreatic cancer, but we’re not a number. When you meet people who are not a number and you realize that there is hope," said Hellmers. 

Saundra is now in what’s called the “stable” disease stage. She has a few tiny spots on her pancreas and liver that show no evidence of being active. The hope is to stay alive long enough to find a cure.

"I think you have to have faith and you know you’re not in charge," DeMey-Forrest said. "Basically you turn it over to God and you let God do his work. So I’m planning to live to be a very old lady."

Anyone interested in learning more about HonorHealth Research Institute can call 480-323-1339.

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