Front, left to right: Dr. Yolonda Spooner and Bertha Howard. Back, left to right: Sgt. Elvin Howard, Jr., Dr. Peter Bostick, Wendell Mack, Veronica Howard Sizer, Dr. Monteic A. Sizer, and Edward Ball, Jr

Elvin Howard, Sr. Pancreatic Cancer Advocacy Foundation (PCAF) was founded in the fall of 2016 after several meetings by founding members Bertha Howard, Sgt. Elvin Howard, Jr., Monteic A. Sizer, PhD, and attorney Veronica Howard Sizer. It was formed to honor the memory of Elvin Howard, Sr., a devoted husband, father, grandfather, family man and Christian. Howard was misdiagnosed and treated for diabetes several months prior to being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Elvin Howard, Sr. PCAF was formed to reduce pancreatic cancer deaths and family hardships by raising awareness of pancreatic cancer through supporting research, pancreatic cancer survivors, their caregivers and families of color.

The organization supported legislation in Louisiana that will now make it possible for people battling metastatic cancer to gain access to the best and newest treatment options available. Additionally, the organization has partnered with Let’s Win! to help get leading-edge research and clinical trial information to African Americans and communities of color. A mutual messaging campaign in Louisiana and across the country is also planned in the coming months.

For Elvin Howard, Sr. PCAF, World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition (WPCC) members are serving as key allies for the organization as it seeks to bring greater awareness and treatment options to African Americans and communities of color throughout the United States.

This is critically important due to the disproportionate rate of pancreatic cancer found in the African American community. Dr. Monteic A. Sizer, the organization’s national representative, leads its work with Let’s Win! and recently provided insight and valuable information to WPCC in regard to its upcoming messaging and public awareness campaign. He is also leading discussions about how the organization might partner with the GENERATE Study, funded by StandUp2Cancer and the Lustgarten Foundation. The organization is also discussing with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network ways to reach the African American community.

Of these collaborations, Sizer said, “We are better and more effective together.”