Veteran, Volunteer and Survivor Beats Multiple Cancers and Encourages Others to Keep Fighting

Ralph Cheney, 66, of Monticello, New York, served in the U.S. Army in Qui Nhon, Vietnam and has fought pancreatic and prostate cancer. Despite the seemingly overwhelming obstacles Ralph faced over the course of his illness, he was able to renew his sense of hope and purpose by fighting his cancer in memory of those who no longer had the opportunity to do so.

During the Vietnam War, more than 58,000 brave American soldiers lost their lives. When the war ended the deaths stopped. However, the war on pancreatic cancer rages on, in just 5 years 180,000 pancreatic cancer patients will lose their lives. As of right now, there is no end in sight for that number.

Ralph was lucky enough to return home from Vietnam after two tours of duty and is now an active member of the Veterans of Foreign War and American Legion. He has volunteered at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. He became a 100% disabled veteran as a result of his prostate cancer and multiple illnesses resulting from Agent Orange Exposure.

Nine years after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, Ralph is a survivor. Today, Ralph describes himself as filled with gratitude for this extraordinary fortune, and says he feels compelled to give back to others fighting pancreatic cancer in the best way he knows how—by sharing his story of hope and inspiration with others. Ralph joins the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to call attention to pancreatic cancer during November, which is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, urging American’s to join the movement to defeat pancreatic cancer and “Like the Fight.”

Ralph and his wife Mariann are both Community Representatives in the Hudson Valley in New York for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. In addition, Ralph volunteers for the Survivor and Caregiver Network and provides support to patients, caregivers, and loved ones of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but is expected to become the second by 2020. The five year survival rate is just six percent. This year alone, more than 45,000 American’s will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and more than 38,000 will die from the disease.

 The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is based in Manhattan Beach, California.