Project Purple Podcast

Joining the Project Purple Podcast from the Los Angeles area, film and television professional Matt Cassani sits down with host Dino Verrelli to share his experience being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at just 34 years old, and the long, uncertain road that followed. Matt opens up about the subtle but persistent symptoms he initially dismissed, including stomach discomfort and abdominal pressure, which he was initially told by doctors were diet-related. But when a coworker noticed he looked jaundiced during Mother’s Day weekend last year, a visit to urgent care quickly escalated, leading to a shocking Stage 2 pancreatic cancer diagnosis. From th...

Joining the Project Purple Podcast from sunny Venice, Florida, originally from Wisconsin, pancreatic cancer survivor Rhonda Vavrek sits down with host Dino Verrelli to share her remarkable journey through a changing diagnosis and what it truly means to keep going when the road is anything but straight. Rhonda shares how, in June 2012, what began as upper back pain and jaundice led to a pancreatic cancer diagnosis: something she never expected after a lifetime of good health. Initially staged at 2/2A, she qualified for the Whipple procedure and underwent chemotherapy before surgery. Post-Whipple, however, doctors discovered the cancer had metastasized to...

On this episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli sits down with Andy Lyons, a commercial photographer from the heart of the Midwest, Iowa, as he shares his deeply personal journey with familial pancreatic cancer. With a family history spanning three generations, affecting countless family members, including his grandmother, mother, and brother, Andy has long felt the shadow of this disease. Diagnosed in 2021 after over two decades of proactive screenings, including ultrasound endoscopies and genetic testing through research studies in Chicago and Pittsburgh, Andy was fortunate to catch his pancreatic cancer early. He reflects on the importance of...

Joining the Project Purple Podcast from Brownton, Minnesota, home to the land of 10,000 lakes, seven-year pancreatic cancer survivor Rita Krueger sits down with host Dino Verrelli to share her extraordinary story of perseverance, faith, and finding purpose after a life-altering diagnosis. Rita was diagnosed in March 2018, and soon learned she would need a full pancreatectomy: a life-changing surgery that would require her to adapt to an entirely new way of living. Her recovery was grueling, especially in the early months when eating made her profoundly ill, but Rita describes herself as tenacious. With the help of her unwavering determination, she...

Tuning in from across the Atlantic, from Cork, Ireland, pancreatic cancer survivor Pamela Deasy joins host Dino Verrelli to offer a unique, international perspective on the realities of the disease, the power of perseverance, and insights for patients, families, and listeners worldwide in this episode of the Project Purple Podcast. Pamela shares that her journey began in the summer of 2018, when persistent fatigue and subtle symptoms signaled something was wrong. Told she was perimenopausal, or even just depressed, she trusted her instincts and continued advocating for herself. After a series of medical issues, including kidney stones and worsening jaundice, imaging...

Anne Dirkse is an avid cyclist, endurance athlete, software developer, and lover of all things outdoors from Loveland, Colorado. On this episode of the Project Purple Podcast, she shares the personal philosophies that guide her through her Stage 4 pancreatic cancer journey. Diagnosed in March 2025, Anne draws on a lifetime of physical fitness, nutrition, and resilience to face the challenges of her disease with clarity and agency. She reflects on how subtle changes in her energy and eating habits prompted her to seek medical care, and how early scans missed the pancreatic mass despite her proactive screenings, highlighting the stealthy and...

Jon Fox, a 41-year-old Staten Island native, shares his unique and inspiring journey on this episode of the Project Purple Podcast with host Dino Verrelli. Jon’s story begins unexpectedly at 37, when he was diagnosed with aggressive, metastatic testicular cancer: a diagnosis that would soon lead to the discovery of another, more unexpected health challenge: Stage 1 localized pancreatic cancer. Jon reflects on how the pancreatic tumor was found almost by accident during testing for his testicular cancer. Facing two serious medical battles at once, he underwent the Whipple procedure and a testicular cancer surgery simultaneously—a grueling combination that demanded resi...

Danielle Buchanan, a proud Texan, devoted wife, and mother of three boys shares her deeply personal and inspiring journey on this episode of the Project Purple Podcast with host Dino Verrelli. A registered nurse and lifelong picture of health, Danielle reflects on how her life changed suddenly in February 2021, when unusual symptoms after a family Super Bowl celebration led to imaging that revealed a mass on her pancreas. Just 48 hours later, on her 48th birthday, she was diagnosed with Stage 2A pancreatic cancer. She describes her grueling treatment journey, including chemotherapy, radiation, and the complex Whipple procedure, and how she...

In this eye-opening episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli has a compelling conversation with Amy Johnston of Pennsylvania, a 34-year-old mother of three young kids, who says that listening to her instincts and advocating for herself made all the difference in her journey with pancreatic cancer. Amy talks about how just a couple of months ago, she was at her healthiest—working out five days a week, eating better, and feeling strong after having her third child. Then, in January, she says she was suddenly hit with severe GI pain during dinner, and immediately knew something was no...

In this extremely motivational episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli speaks with Michael Kennedy of Vermont, a lawyer and avid runner whose 20 years on the roads and trails unexpectedly prepared him for the toughest marathon of his life: pancreatic cancer. Michael shares how his story began in 2023, a year packed with long runs, two marathons, and a 100‑mile relay. But when back pain crept in after the relay, he brushed it off as age or overtraining. But within weeks, his symptoms escalated: rapid weight loss, changes in digestion, and eventually, a scan soon confirmed what no runner ex...

In this episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli speaks with Carmen Stewart, a pancreatic cancer survivor from across the globe, calling in all the way from Johannesburg, South Africa. Her story is one of perseverance, clarity, and transformation in the face of staggering odds. Carmen opens up about her whirlwind diagnosis in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, which followed months of persistent pain, varying symptoms, and repeated misdiagnoses, from gastroenteritis and hepatitis. She talks about how she pushed for surgery before lockdown hit in her country, against her doctor’s initial plan, and how she underwent a...

Bill Perkins, founder of Top Fan Rivalry, a baseball-centered community organization and a pancreatic cancer survivor, speaks with host Dino Verrelli in this powerful episode of the Project Purple Podcast. Hailing from Laguna Beach in the OC, Bill’s story is as candid as it is inspiring. He shares how a moment in early 2022, when his wife noticed he looked jaundiced, set off a whirlwind of tests that led to a shocking diagnosis. What doctors first believed was a harmless blockage turned out to be pancreatic cancer. Within weeks, Bill underwent a grueling Whipple procedure, followed by a slow recovery an...

In this episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli speaks with Lew Worthington, a former pastor and seminary professor turned author from Lansing, Michigan. He courageously shares his remarkable journey with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, describing how a persistent side pain quickly turned into a life-altering diagnosis in 2020 that he was told gave him just months to live. Lew recounts to listeners the difficult road he had ahead of him, undergoing intensive chemotherapy, targeted radiation, and devastating side effects. He mentions that, despite the odds of survival, he reached remission, only to face a recurrence of cancer that tested...

Every Labor Day, over 5,000 runners and 10,000 spectators fill the streets of New Haven for one of Connecticut’s most beloved events. At the heart of it all is John Bysiewicz, race director of the Faxon Law New Haven Road Races since 1989 and founder of JB Sports, the company behind over 20 more races and 30,000 participants annually. In this heartfelt episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli sits down with John to talk about how the New Haven Road Race has grown from a local favorite to a nationally recognized event. From neighborhood routes and live music to Olympic-caliber athletes an...

“I think that’s what I would define pancreatic cancer as: never, ever give up.” In this powerful episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli speaks with Kelianne O’Shea, a 29-year-old from Cape May, New Jersey, who was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer just one year ago. Now on maintenance chemo and marking a full year of what she calls “surviving pancreatic cancer,” Kelianne opens up about the physical and emotional rollercoaster of facing a devastating diagnosis at just 28 years old. She shares the story of her sudden symptoms and the ER visit that changed her life. Doctor...

“I’ve given myself the title of ‘cat with nine lives.’” In this inspiring episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli talks with Toni Bravo, a pancreatic cancer survivor and student at the University of Notre Dame, to share her incredible cancer journey. Toni opens up about the shocking moment she was diagnosed during her junior year of college. The diagnosis came after an accident where she was hit by a car in a crash. Despite an initial CT scan missing the tumor, Toni’s instincts told her something was wrong. Two months later, a follow-up CT scan revealed the...

In this heartfelt episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli sits down with Mark Wade, a stage III pancreatic cancer survivor, to share his deeply personal journey from diagnosis to remission. Mark opens up about the shock of his diagnosis in April 2021, the whirlwind of chemotherapy and radiation, and undergoing a Whipple procedure later that year. Mark reflects on the emotional toll of treatment and the unexpected challenges that came after, including anxiety and the difficulty of adjusting to life post-treatment. He shares how therapy helped him process his experience and why he believes in the importance of...

In this fascinating episode of the Project Purple Podcast, CEO & Founder Dino Verrelli welcomes Dr. Cosimo Commisso, interim director and deputy director of the NCI-designated Cancer Center at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. A leader in cancer metabolism research, Dr. Commisso shares groundbreaking insights into how pancreatic cancer cells survive and thrive—and what that means for future treatments. Dr. Commisso breaks down the complex science behind tumor microenvironments, metabolic vulnerabilities, and the latest advances in targeting pancreatic cancer at a cellular level. He also discusses the challenges researchers face, the hope emerging from new studies, and why funding fo...

In this powerful episode of the Project Purple Podcast, founder & CEO Dino Verrelli sits down with nine-year pancreatic cancer survivor Larry Young, a former MLB umpire who became Umpire Supervisor. From making split-second calls on the field to facing the toughest battle of his life, Larry shares his journey from diagnosis to today emphasizing the importance of early detection, perseverance, and support. Larry discusses the moment he knew something was wrong, his grueling treatment process, and the life-changing impact of family and faith. He also shares insights from his work with other survivors and his hope for the future of...

In this inspiring episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli sits down with pancreatic cancer survivor and advocate Elise Roth Tedeschi. Diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2012, Elise shares her incredible journey of perseverance, faith, and advocacy that defied all odds. From the early misdiagnoses to groundbreaking treatments and her unwavering determination to remain positive, Elise's story is one of resilience and hope. Listen as Elise discusses the importance of being your own advocate, the role of mindset and faith in her survival, and the powerful support she received from her community. Whether you're a patient, caregiver...

In this compelling episode of the Project Purple Podcast, host Dino Verrelli sits down with Alice Frati, a resilient pancreatic cancer survivor, to discuss her journey. From the initial signs of illness in 2019 to her groundbreaking surgery and ongoing recovery, Alice shares the emotional and physical challenges she faced, including navigating treatment during the pandemic and adapting to life-changing medical procedures. She highlights the importance of advocacy, the power of community, and her determination to thrive despite adversity. This episode is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the value of support systems in overcoming life's...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Tricia Hanna, a stenographer and ultrasound technologist whose own expertise played a pivotal role in her pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Tricia shares her incredible journey, which began in 2021 when she was demonstrating an ultrasound for a student and discovered uterine abnormalities. This led to additional monitoring and testing, during which her CA-19 markers tripled which was cause for alarm. Initially thought to be a splenic rest, her condition was discovered to be pancreatic cancer through a biopsy, leading to a distal pancreatectomy and the removal of her spleen in October 2023. During surgery, it...

Meet Tina Lucci from Allentown, Pennsylvania. She is a special education teacher and a mother of two boys. Tina is a survivor of pancreatic cancer, having been diagnosed during the holiday season of 2019. She first felt unwell at work, so she went to the emergency room. Her diagnosis was a shock, as she had no family history of pancreatic cancer and was a mother of two young boys. Tina chose not to share her diagnosis with her loved ones initially, preferring only her immediate family to know, especially since it was the holiday season. She felt ashamed and like she...

Meet Doug “Censor” Martin, from Long Island. Doug is well-known online for his gaming expertise. He has competed in esports championships and shares gaming content on YouTube and social media. Doug also discusses his interest in fitness and how he established himself as a gamer with a fitness lifestyle, which he felt made him stand out in the gaming community. By sharing his life online, Doug found himself in many people's dream job: getting paid to play video games. During this time, he was also focusing heavily on his fitness goals. However, he felt that the people and habits around him...

Meet Meg Barber. She is the head women’s basketball coach at NYU. Meg played basketball at NYU and has built an impressive coaching resume, having coached at D1 and D2 schools before returning to NYU. Meg has run the NYC marathon several times as a charity partner with Project Purple. Meg discusses her coaching philosophy and how her approach has fostered a strong team dynamic, which she calls a sisterhood. She explains that her bond with the team goes beyond basketball and shares what she looks for when recruiting team members. Last season, she and her team went undefeated at...

Chris was an athlete through high school and college. He was a track and field runner and landed a fellowship and later a job at Sports Illustrated. Chris speaks to the experience he gained working at a media company. After some time at Sports Illustrated, he realized there was little coverage of what he was most passionate about, running and track and field. This is where his interest was and he wanted to start a media company that focused on this niche of the sports industry. Dino met Chris through their mutual community of running at the Chicago marathon. Chris...

Meet Sam Constantino of upstate New York. Sam and Dino have a long history together, both are very close with each other’s families. Like Dino, Sam also lost his father to pancreatic cancer. His father was diagnosed right around the time of Sam’s diagnosis. Sam lost his father only 18 days after his own diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Doctors said his father’s tumor was too large and at that stage in his life, he was unable even to treat the cancerous tumor. During his diagnosis, he was also mourning his father. He explains the emotional toll the family had to...

Dino speaks with running coach Ryan Welsh, our endurance coach, to prepare runners for the upcoming marathon season. Ryan shared some advice for those who are training for the races that are just weeks away, now that we are in September. They discussed the "dos and don'ts" of training, which they stress are especially important to stick with at this point of the training cycle. Ryan emphasizes how important it is to stick with the habits that brought you to this peak moment in the training cycle, such as maintaining recovery days and listening to your body. Ryan and Dino...

Meet Jaclyn Lin of Northern New Jersey. At 35, she was expecting her second daughter. However, she began experiencing extreme back pains and abdominal discomfort at around week 20 of her pregnancy. When she brought these symptoms to the attention of her OB during a routine visit, further testing was recommended due to the severe and persistent nature of her pain. Doctors initially hesitated to perform scans or invasive testing due to the risks involved in pregnancy. Despite this, Jackie advocated for herself and, after discussions with her doctors, decided to undergo the necessary scans and a biopsy. However, on the day...

In this episode of the Project Purple Podcast, Vin, the program manager of our endurance teams, expresses his excitement for the upcoming marathon season. He shares that he will be attending the Berlin Marathon for the first time and reveals what it means to be cheering on all of the runners. He speaks to the evolution of the run teams and endurance programs and reveals his perspective as he is going on seven years with Project Purple as of the end of this month. Vin shares his favorite memories in Chicago, as it was the first marathon he attended when...

Meet Holly Shawyer, a teacher who is originally from Maryland and now living in Charleston, South Carolina. She made a big move away from her family. Not long after moving, she began experiencing stabbing pain in her abdomen, accompanied by radiating left shoulder pain. Despite initially dismissing the symptoms as nothing to be concerned about, the symptoms returned one day at work, prompting her to seek medical attention. Holly, a 35-year-old avid runner in good health before her diagnosis, had researched her symptoms online and suspected stomach ulcers. However, after being prescribed medication for ulcers and referred to a gastroenterologist...

Meet Dr. Peter Allen, of Duke University. Dr. Allen is a cancer surgeon who specializes in treating patients with pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions of the pancreas, liver, bile ducts, stomach, and adrenal glands. He worked as a surgical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York for 13 years before joining Duke University. He now serves as the chief of surgical oncology for Duke Health. The experienced doctor discusses the difficulties of treating pancreatic cancer and explains the differences in the work he is doing at Duke in hopes of revolutionizing pancreatic cancer patient options and goes on to...

Meet Carlos "Charlie" Morales of El Paso, Texas. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January of this year. Charlie shares the challenges he faced in getting a diagnosis and the difficulties he encountered afterward. Charlie began feeling ill in September of 2023, experiencing severe stomach aches and pains after eating. His inability to eat caused him to lose 80 pounds from September to November of 2023. When he visited the local emergency department, the only cause for concern was that his lipase numbers were elevated. Despite his worsening condition, he was referred to a specialist, but the appointment was months away. As...

In 2024, we launched Project Purple Sports to create team activities that support our mission of a world without pancreatic cancer. Our initial focus was on streaming and reporting on local sports to raise awareness and connect sports with Project Purple. We started at Seymour High School, where we streamed basketball and softball games for the Seymour Wildcats. With the school year wrapped up, and the 2024 Olympics in full swing, we wanted to take all of the highlights from the sports we covered to compile them in this week's episode of the Project Purple Podcast. These are the Top 10 Moments from...

Meet Dr. Paul Grippo, an Associate Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in the Chicago area. Dr. Grippo has been awarded the Rick Carone Pancreatic Cancer Research Grant by Project Purple. This grant is given annually to honor Rick Carone, a late member of the Project Purple family who was a runner and athlete in Illinois. After completing his undergraduate studies, Dr. Grippo pursued a master’s degree in biochemistry and focused on researching pancreatic cancer during his graduate school experience. He continued this research throughout his PhD program and has dedicated nearly 30 ye...

Meet Dr. Emily Britton of Bristol, UK. She is currently undergoing advanced training in surgery at Bristol University, focusing on diseases of the pancreas and liver, including pancreatic cancer. Dr. Britton reveals that her initial interest in the medical field was due to her family's history of breast cancer. However, as she progressed through medical school and training, she developed a strong passion for treating pancreatic and liver conditions. She gives insight into the standard of care in the UK public healthcare system, highlighting its pros and cons. Dr. Britton emphasizes the uniqueness of each patient's case, advocating for individualized...

Meet Dan McNamee, who is originally from Cleveland but now resides in beautiful Paris. He was going about his life, starting a new family with his wife when he started experiencing pain in his left leg. This led him to visit the emergency department, where they discovered a blood clot. Further testing revealed a tumor on Daniel’s pancreas. Although he was living in Paris at the time, he wanted to be with his family, especially since all of his siblings have careers in the medical world. He decided to undergo treatment in his hometown of Cleveland, where he and hi...

Kimberly Brockman is a 57-year-old pancreatic cancer survivor from Iowa. She had a history of preventative care, including a breast lumpectomy in her thirties and keeping up with regular screenings due to her family's extensive history of cancer. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, she experienced symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, heartburn, and bowel issues, but felt her symptoms were being put on hold due to overwhelmed medical facilities. With her background in oncology, she sought medical attention and was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus. Her genetic test results revealed that she had Lynch Syndrome, specifically MSH2 and MHS6, which prompted further preventative...

Camille Moses, originally from New York but now residing in Florida, is a stage 4 pancreatic cancer survivor who was diagnosed nearly 12 years ago. Camille was diagnosed in March 2012 at the age of 53. She led an active lifestyle, often taking her three large dogs hiking, walking, and swimming. Despite experiencing back pain, breathlessness, and fatigue, she initially attributed them to her active routine and ignored them. When rest and over-the-counter pain relief didn't help, she sought a proper diagnosis. Initially, her symptoms were attributed to menopause due to her age, but she advocated for herself and sought further evaluation. An emergency...

Kerri Kinkade of Connecticut was a pioneer in her field. She was one of the few women to graduate in information technology during the Vietnam War. Throughout her career, she worked in technical support and retired a little over a decade ago. Her battle with pancreatic cancer began during the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Her symptoms included loss of appetite and later jaundice. Due to the circumstances of the pandemic and it being the holiday season, she had to wait until the New Year to see a doctor about her symptoms. When she finally did, they found a mass on...