In July of 2014, my brother was diagnosed with stage 4 non-operable pancreatic cancer. The only signs of this terrible disease that he showed was low abdominal pain. By the time the doctors discovered the tumor, it was too large to be operated on. He went through chemo therapy treatments, but to no avail, the tumor grew larger and the cancer spread to most of his other organs as well as his bones. Michael William Parkhurst lost his battle to this ugly monster on May 5, 2015 just ten short months after his diagnosis. When my brother was diagnosed, my family and I had just moved to MA. I didn't know anyone here or any way that I could be a part of the crusade to help find a way to stop this disease from taking the lives of others. That's when I found Promises for Purple.

I did my very first PFP walk in 2014 and found a family. I never realized that there were so many others that had been affected by this disease in the same way that my family had. For the past three years, I have been surrounded by the power of purple. I have been surrounded by the friends and family of the people who are fighting this terrible disease and the family and friends that walk to remember a friend or a loved one that they have already lost.

Promises for Purple has been my way of honoring my brother as well as helping to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and for the research that needs to be done so that we can hopefully one day find a cure for this terrible disease. Thank you Promises for Purple for showing me hope and for helping me continue this fight for my brother just like I promised him I would!!!

Post by: Tonya Swenszkowski, Mike's Purple Warriors