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As a high school wrestling coach, Rory Magana knows coaching is more than just about the sport, especially after losing his dad to pancreatic cancer in 2011.
“As a coach, one of the messages we want to send to our student-athletes is that we should always work to do things for people outside of ourselves,” Rory says. “We do it out of servitude, and as a way to give back through our great sport.”
And for the last 14 years, Hazen High School Wrestling in Renton, Wash., has been giving back to PanCAN with their Taking Down Pancreatic Cancer fundraising wrestling tournament. Eight teams participated this year, with PanCAN's Puget Sound Affiliate in attendance handing out information on PanCAN and the disease.
Rory’s family had been referred to PanCAN by a co-worker with a family history of the disease, after hearing of his dad’s diagnosis.
“PanCAN became the best resource during my dad’s fight,” he says.
Rory’s dad was able to be present at the very first Taking Down Cancer event and since then, the event has raised more than $16,000 for PanCAN’s vital programs and services.
Rory and his dad, Rodney Magana |
“I know how much my dad’s diagnosis changed our lives,” Rory says. “Our goal is to raise awareness and funds to advance treatment to the point where pancreatic cancer disappears from the list of leading causes of cancer deaths.”
How will you turn your passion into progress?
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