The Dallas skyline will be aglow with purple lights on Friday, April 29, to call attention to a good cause. The light display is intended to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer ahead of a Saturday morning fundraising event.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network‘s PanCAN Purple Stride event at Klyde Warren Park kicks off at 7:00 a.m. April 30. Participants can write a message on a tribute wall, take pictures, and grab a snack ahead of the 8:00 a.m. opening ceremony and 8:30 a.m. ceremonial walk. Pancreatic cancer survivors, family members of those affected, caregivers, researchers, and other community members will walk several laps along a designated path in the adjacent neighborhood.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit pancreatic cancer research. The event is free to the public. Participants who give $50, either personally or through funded donations, will receive a t-shirt commemorating the event. The shirts will also be for sale around the park.
The celebrity ambassador for the event is Indian-American actress, writer, and producer Mindy Kaling, best known for her work on the hit NBC sitcom The Office and her self-titled television show, The Mindy Project.
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, pancreatic cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths and is responsible for thousands of deaths worldwide every year.
It has a lower survival rate than most other cancers because it is often only caught after spreading to other parts of the body, making early detection and awareness incredibly important. Most people do not exhibit symptoms until cancer spreads to other organs.
Although anyone can be diagnosed with the condition, it primarily affects the elderly, as over two-thirds of patients are age 65 and older. Men are slightly more likely than women to be affected, and cigarette smoking is one of the most significant risk factors.
According to the American Cancer Society, experts do not suggest that people of “average risk” get routine testing. However, anyone in high-risk groups and people with a family history of pancreatic cancer should get routinely tested using an MRI or endoscopy.
This weekend’s event will not be the first time the cityscape has been illuminated to support a good cause. The Dallas skyline has gone purple several times, but other colors have also graced the skyline. Approximately 6 million LED lights are used to light the buildings, and if stretched out end-to-end, the light strands would measure eight miles in length.
In 2016, the purple lighting supported Dallas Innovates to promote innovation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In November of 2020, the city brought awareness to epilepsy with purple lights, with the goal of 2,020 area residents getting tested.
Earlier in 2020, the Dallas skyline was lit up in purple and gold, the official colors of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, as a tribute after their first home game following the tragic passing of former NBA Hall-of-Famer and legend Kobe Bryant in a helicopter accident earlier that month.
More recently, the Dallas cityscape shone blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, to show its support for Ukraine at the start of the Russian invasion.
