A woman from Lackawanna County was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago. She’s defying odds and encouraging others along the way.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — This Saturday, hundreds of people will be gathering at Nay Aug Park wearing their purple. It’s the annual Pancan Purple Stride Walk to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer.  For Karen McIntyre from Waverly, this is her third year doing the Purple Stride.  She is a pancreatic cancer survivor who is sharing her story. 



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“Ok, we’re gonna find your baseline.”

With a strong, clear voice, Karen McIntyre gets her spin class in gear. She’s been teaching group fitness at Crunch in Scranton for ten years.

“And if you can, let’s stand up.”

It seems like there’s nothing that can slow her down. But two years ago, at 58 years old, Karen’s life changed in a drastic way.

 “The emergency room doctor came in and said there’s something on your pancreas, and I said, ‘ You’re kidding me.”

This energetic instructor felt more tired than usual. She went to the doctor for some blood work. Within 24 hours she got the grim diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer.

“I couldn’t even think straight. I said what do you mean I have pancreatic cancer that doesn’t happen to a healthy person.”

Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare, affecting one in 67 people, but it’s the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths because most people do not survive.

The American Cancer Society says only about 17 percent of people will survive five years. 

Karen did the research. She knows the odds and she plans to beat them. “I never really said why me…I said this is crazy. I can’t believe I have pancreatic cancer but what do I have to do to get better.”

Surgeons removed her pancreas and part of her small intestine in April 2024. Just two days later her husband asked, Do you want to do this pancreatic cancer walk and she said yes!

“I didn’t do the whole walk because I still had 27 staples in and I was very weak.  I did what I could do.  People there were like you just came from the hospital and I was like yes, I have to stay strong.”

Karen also finds strength in numbers. Like hundreds of people who put on their purple for the PanCAN Purple Stride walk this Saturday at Nay Aug Park in Scranton.

“Raising awareness and funding for pancreatic cancer is so important. There’s nothing you can do, you can’t test for it, so we need a cure. That’s what we need.”

You can still register to walk or run in the Purple Stride on Saturday morning by clicking on this link.