"A Love For Life" Prepares to Race Five Boats in the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Festival on October 5th

    NEWTOWN, PA, September 28, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A Love for Life, an organization set up to raise money for pancreatic cancer research, announced today it has five boats confirmed to race in this year's 12th Annual International Dragon Boat Festival in Philadelphia, PA along the banks of the Schuylkill River.

Founded by Christine Edmonds, A Love for Life was established in honor of her husband Kevin who died in 2012 at the age of 51 after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Now in its second year, the Dragon Boat fundraiser has become the largest for A Love For Life. Last year the group pulled in $16,000, and has already more than tripled that amount in sponsorships and donations for 2013.

"A Love for Life is raising money for pancreatic research, but we are going about it 'Kevin-style' -- which means we're going to have a boatload of fun, surround ourselves with friends and family, and enjoy the spirited competition from start to finish," said Christine. "For anyone who knew Kevin, they can attest to his genuine love for life and good times with friends along the way. All of us will be smiling up at him throughout the day knowing how much he would enjoy this event."

Attendees can find A Love For Life under tents 61, 62, 66, 67, 68 and 69. The teams include 120 paddlers, with 20 paddlers, 1 drummer and 1 steersman in each boat, and a number of alternate paddlers who are prepared to help if needed.

"Pancreatic cancer is one of the most under funded diseases by the federal government. Most funding for cancer research comes to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) from the U.S. government through the National Institute of Health (NIH). This under funding contributes to the lethality of the disease. Great advances have been made in treating breast cancer and prostate cancer due to appropriate funding levels, but almost no meaningful advances have been made in pancreatic cancer treatment since the Whipple procedure (tumor removal) was invented and perfected. In fact the five year survival rate in the early 1970s (3%) is about the same as the rate today (5%)," Christine added. "A large commitment is needed to stop pancreatic cancer from being so fatal to so many. Though it afflicts nearly five times less people than breast cancer, it takes nearly as many lives each year."

A Love for Life is honored to donate 100% of all money raised to fund the Abramson Cancer Center's cutting edge research at The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

About The Abramson Cancer Center at The University of Pennsylvania
The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania is a world leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. The pre-eminent position of the Cancer Center is reflected in its continuous designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute since 1973, one of 41 such Centers in the United States.

About A Love for Life
A Love for Life was founded on December 3, 2012 by Christine Edmonds, whose husband Kevin Edmonds (age 51) died on April 10, 2012 after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Kevin's sister Nora died in 2009 from the same disease at the age of 51. The organization's mission is to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, and funds for pancreatic cancer research. All funds raised are donated to the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information on A Love for Life, or to make a donation, visit http://aloveforlife.us/.
PA tax EIN #462038591

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