11/18/2011

Randall Brand, M.D., director of UPMC’s Gastroenterology Malignancy Early Detection, Diagnosis and Prevention Program and a pancreatic cancer expert, will be the 2011 recipient of the national Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research’s First Annual Moore Memorial Award. The award will be presented on Nov. 19 during the Second Annual Purple Palooza Gala in Steubenville, Ohio, which raises money for pancreatic cancer research.

According to Agi Hirshberg, president and founder of the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, this award represents the foundation’s passionate commitment to finding a cure for pancreatic cancer.

“Dr. Brand is unparalleled in his commitment to finding answers to the many questions pancreatic cancer asks,” said Ms. Hirshberg. “This award is in memory of the late Ken Moore, a friend of our foundation who fought every day to win his battle against pancreatic cancer. He passed away on November 6 of last year after dedicating the time after his diagnosis to raising money for pancreatic cancer research.”

Dr. Brand’s research studies focus on the early detection of pancreatic cancer and pancreaticobiliary disorders. He specializes in the care of individuals at high risk for developing the disease.

Catherine Moore, organizer of the Purple Palooza, added “With the help of some close friends, my dad and I organized the first Purple Palooza event last November. Creating the event was a way for us to combat the feeling of powerlessness we experienced in the face of my father’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Sadly, he passed away days before the event was held but it is his memory, as well as the memory of so many loved ones lost to this disease, that inspire our goal of funding pancreatic cancer research.”