It all started on March 2, 2019. Ed Blackburn and his family were out to dinner celebrating his brother-in-law Vincent’s birthday when Ed began experiencing extreme pain that he thought was a heart attack. After a harrowing trip to the hospital, it was discovered that he had a large mass in his pancreas that the hospital suspected to be Pancreatic Cancer.

After digesting the news as best they could, Ed and his family turned to the NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center where they met Dr. Paresh C. Shah and Dr. Despina Siolas. After days of careful testing, planning, and discussion, Doctors Shah and Siolas enrolled Ed in a clinical trial that the Blackburn family will be forever grateful for. After 16 weeks of grueling chemotherapy treatments and 6 intense radiation sessions, Ed’s tumor shrunk, allowing Dr. Shah to resect it from his pancreas. It is not hyperbole to say that Dr. Shah, Dr. Siolas, and the NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center saved Ed’s life.

Throughout Ed’s treatment, the Blackburn family received unbelievable support from family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. From chauffeuring Ed to various appointments to picking up dinner for the family and everything in between, the family knows how lucky they were to be surrounded by so many loving people. During his treatment Ed saw and heard from many in his situation who were not as lucky as he. Not everyone has the same level of support and often cancer diagnoses can lead to stressful financial hardships. 

Since his diagnosis and subsequent recovery, Ed has recognized his position and has spent countless nights mentoring, consoling, and helping other families during their struggles, while Linda often shares her experiences with the spouses and families to let them know they are not alone. 

Wanting to pay-forward the love and support he received during his diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, Ed, together with his wife Linda and son Shane, decided to start The Blackburn Family Cancer Foundation: Coaching for a Cure. Their mission is to support patients battling cancer and their families while working with doctors to improve patient outcomes. We will do this by specifically funding Pancreatic Cancer research to improve early detection and treatment options and develop a cure. Funding will also be allocated to patients facing financial hardships because of their ongoing battle with all cancers.