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Inspiring Doctor Helps Make Pancreatic Cancer Walk A Success

DENVER (CBS4) - In a sea of purple shirts united in fighting pancreatic cancer on Sunday, more than 100 were emblazed with the words "God's Got This!"

It's a saying dear to the heart of Dr. Jill Pechacek.

Pechacek is a co-founder and physician at Aspen Family Care in Highlands Ranch, and she was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. On Sunday her family and numerous friends joined forces with the annual Denver Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk at Sloan's Lake, helping to make it the biggest year ever for the event.

"Congratulations to everybody that came out today," Pechacek told event attendees. "I am just so honored to be part of this organization."

Jill Pechacek
Jill Pechacek (credit: CBS)

"Last year we raised over $100,000 and this year is going to be even more," said organizer Jim Burness.

Burness says all money raised goes towards changing the cancer's survival rate, which right now sits at just 1 percent.

"Every dollar raised goes directly to funding physicians that are doing some sort of the important research toward a cure or early detection," he said.

Jill Pechacek
Jill Pechacek (credit: CBS)

Pechacek's help doesn't stop there. She is also asking people to participate in what she calls her 29:11 challenge, which asks people to do 29 random acts of kindness over 11 days. For instance: hugs, homemade cards, opening doors for others.

Her challenge has spread across America and gone international. She hopes in addition to raising awareness and money for research, it just makes the world a better place.

"I think that if we can just spread the acts of kindness and just the joy in the human spirit the world is just going to be that much of a happier place," Pechacek said.

The pancreatic cancer research walk started in 2007 with a couple of hundred walkers. Nearly 1,000 walked on Sunday.

Additional Resources

The Lustgarten Foundation aims to raise money to fight pancreatic cancer through the Denver Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk. More information is at lustgarten.org.

More information about Pechacek's 29:11 challenge can be found at her Caring Bridge website.

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