Reset the Statistics
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of any major cancer.
At the Vittitoe Fund, we believe statistics are not destiny.
When Craig was diagnosed with Stage IV, the median survival was just 3 to 11 months. Craig lived nearly four years. His journey as a “super responder” proved that with precision medicine and expert care, the timeline can be rewritten.
But four years was not enough.
We fund research at Cedars-Sinai Cancer by Dr. Arsen Osipov, the Medical Director of Pancreatic Cancer, and his team as they decode the biology behind Craig’s journey. Our goal is to transform "extraordinary cases" into the new standard of care for every patient.
The Statistics
67,000+
Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year.
52,000+
People in the United States will die from the disease this year.
3% → 8%
Pancreatic cancer represents about 3% of diagnoses but causes roughly 8% of cancer deaths.
13%
The five-year survival rate - the lowest of any major cancer.
Our Purpose
Our Mission
To fund critical research, advance early detection, and unite a compassionate community to transform the trajectory of pancreatic cancer.
Our Vision
A future where innovation resets the statistics for pancreatic cancer, ensuring no more lives - or legacies - are cut short.
Why This Work Matters
These statistics are devastating. But they are not destiny.
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 13%. When discovered early, that number more than triples to 44%. Through earlier detection and strategic research, we can move beyond the averages and change the reality for patients and their families.
5 year Survival Rate for Pancreatic Cancer Patients
All Stages Combined
With Early Detection
In Their Own Words
"Craig was an exceptional patient, but more importantly, an exceptional person. He defied the odds. He reset the statistics. And in doing so, he taught me lessons no textbook, trial, or dataset ever could."
— Dr. Arsen Osipov"Ultimately, my goal is to transform pancreatic cancer from a uniformly lethal diagnosis into a disease where patients receive earlier, smarter, and more effective treatment."
— Dr. Arsen Osipov"We are doing this for one very important purpose: to slow down, stop, and ultimately eliminate pancreatic cancer through research."
— Craig Vittitoe
Why Support Pancreatic Cancer Research?
One of the deadliest cancers.
Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest five-year survival rates of any major cancer.
Often diagnosed too late
Symptoms typically appear only after the disease has advanced.
Underfunded, under-researched
Despite being one of the deadliest major cancers, pancreatic cancer research receives far less funding than cancers like breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer.