Survivor: Nassau woman among 10 percent of pancreatic cancer victims to live 5 years

In 2013 Kathy Turner Motley was a woman always on the move.

She traveled frequently as a senior vice president of a health care revenue management company. But her own health care was not a top priority.

"I was overweight, not eating great and my exercise consisted of running to my next connections in airports," she said.

The first sign of something amiss came during her annual physical exam that year, which showed elevated blood glucose. That laboratory result led the following year to a deadly diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of only 10 percent.

"To be honest, my reaction when I first found out … was a couple of tears," said Motley, who lives in Fernandina Beach with husband Robert. "My thought was, 'I do not have time for this.' After that, I just did what had to be done. My husband said, 'Let’s take one day at a time,' and that is what we did. My doctors have always been positive and still are." 

Now 69, she is a survivor. She shared her story to promote the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, a national patient advocate organization. The Jacksonville affiliate will have its annual PurpleStride fundraiser virtually Nov. 7.

"I have had all clear scans since, whereas 91 percent of the people diagnosed at the same time are no longer with us," Motley said. "They are ones I honor by talking about what happened to me."

Pancreatic cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States with about 63 percent of patients dying within the first year of diagnosis. The overall five-year survival rate rose to from 9 percent to 10 percent in the last year or so, according to the network, also known as PanCAN.

“While we are thrilled to see the five-year survival rate reach double digits, 10 percent is still the lowest survival rate of all major cancers, which is unacceptable," said Julie Fleshman, network president and CEO. "This underscores the continued urgency for funding, research and awareness to move the needle even further.”

The network recently announced a new clinical trial platform to "test novel treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients quicker and cheaper and get them to patients faster, transforming the way clinical research is done." The new platform is designed to enable the development of new treatments more efficiently than standard pancreatic cancer trials by testing multiple experimental therapies at the same time," according to the network.

One of the clinical trial sites is the University of Florida Health-Cancer Center in Gainesville.

After that 2013 blood-glucose test, Motley lost weight and her lab results briefly improved. But then her health nosedived. She passed out in the security line at the Newark, N.J., airport and "never quite felt right after that even though I continued to work and travel," she said.

Many consultations with many doctors finally led to the December 2014 diagnosis.

"I had some good doctors who listened to me during that time but also some not so good," she said. "I think it is important that everyone remember they know their bodies better than anyone. It is important that we have doctors who see us as the experts of our bodies and as partners in our health care."

She underwent surgery — "I came out without a gall bladder, spleen, section of my stomach and no pancreas. My digestive system was reconfigured and I was insulin-dependent," she said. Because of the disease's low survival rate, she also had radiation and chemotherapy.

"If it comes back someday, I do not want to think I did not do everything possible," she said. 

The network provided a "constant source of information" and support and connected her to other survivors, she said.

"The more informed individuals are about their health, the better they can be a partner in their health care," Motley said. "Be persistent. Know the warning signs. Do not accept conclusions you doubt without the data. Support research. Honor the ones who did not make it."

Motley now works part-time, mostly from home, with infrequent travel.

"I continue to be active," she said. "I have had a great group of friends who have been helpful and supportive. I have been in an ongoing book club since the early '90s and these amazing women have been awesome."

And fellow club members can relate to her journey.

"Many in the group have become cancer survivors over the last 30 years," she said.

Beth Reese Cravey: (904) 359-4109

PURPLESTRIDE JACKSONVILLE 2020

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's PurpleStride fundraiser will be virtual this year with supporters "striding" in their own way: walking around the neighborhood, running a 5K or hosting a virtual coffee date, brunch or happy hour and soliciting donations via email or social media. To register, donate or get virtual fundraising ideas or more information, go to bit.ly/34emPYZ.

For more information about pancreatic cancer or the network, call (877) 435-8650, email patientcentral@pancan.org or go to pancan.org.

PURPLESTRIDE JACKSONVILLE 2020

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's PurpleStride fundraiser will be virtual this year with supporters "striding" in their own way: walking around the neighborhood, running a 5K or hosting a virtual coffee date, brunch or happy hour and soliciting donations via email or social media. To register, donate or get virtual fundraising ideas or more information, go to bit.ly/34emPYZ.

For more information about pancreatic cancer or the network, call (877) 435-8650, email patientcentral@pancan.org or go to pancan.org.