For Leighanne Austin, ten years without her father, Zane, has been a long journey of learning how to navigate life with loss.

Zane had just turned 64 when he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was finally preparing to retire from the business he and his wife had built, Ward Brothers Locksmith, and hand the reins over to his son, Davey, to keep his legacy alive. His retirement dream was simple: ride his motorcycle across the country to visit Leighanne in Edmonton, meet up with his wife, and ride together through the mountains to British Columbia to reunite with one of his best friends.

He never got that chance. Within 13 weeks of his 64th birthday, Zane was gone.

Having been diagnosed at stage 4, Zane and his family were told there were no options left beyond trying to keep him comfortable. There was no time to process the news, no chance to explore treatments, and almost no time to say goodbye.

"I can’t describe the helplessness and shock my family felt," Leighanne recalls. "Suddenly we were broken and no one would ever be able to put us back together."

Because everything happened so fast, friends, neighbours and clients didn't even know Zane was sick until long after he had passed away. Caring for her father in his final weeks opened Leighanne’s eyes to how deeply loved he was by his community, but also exposed the brutal, devastating speed of pancreatic cancer.
‍
"Ten years later, that feeling of helplessness is still one of the hardest parts of losing him."

"Grief seems to change over time, and what was once a raw, gaping wound in your chest slowly turns into more of a weight on your heart," Leighane reflects. "It still makes it hard to breathe sometimes, but the weight slowly gets easier to bear. And eventually, that weight even starts to become familiar, and you likely wouldn’t know who you are without it."

Much of that weight comes from thinking about everything her dad has missed in the decade since his death from pancreatic cancer.

He missed seeing his eldest children thrive and carry on his legacy. He missed the births of his two youngest grandsons. He missed watching his grandchildren reach special milestones like high school graduations, a granddaughter crowned rodeo queen after winning barrel races on the horse she trained herself, a grandson taking to the skies as an air cadet, and another winning spelling bee after spelling bee.

Strength in Shared Grief

That weight of grief is what led Leighanne to join the Run for Survival in Edmonton last year and why she is lacing up again this fall.

For anyone who has lost a loved one to pancreatic cancer, the loneliness and isolation of the experience can be overwhelming. But participating offered Leighanne something unexpected: a sense of shared understanding, connection, and deep comfort.

"Somehow it is extremely healing to be surrounded by other families who have lost a loved one to pancreatic cancer. Who all understand what it’s like to be left with an empty chair at the dinner table."

Leighanne admits she hates asking people for money. But for the past two years, she has pushed past that discomfort for a bigger purpose:

"So while I hate asking people for money, I hate the thought of other families continuing to experience what mine did even more. I don’t want my dad’s story to be the story that every family with a member diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has to live. I want better options, earlier detection, better treatments. I want more families to have more time together."

Science is already changing what is possible. While new targeted treatments and advances came too late for Zane, someone diagnosed today has options that didn't exist ten years ago. And someone diagnosed ten years from now will have even more.

"I’m walking for my dad," Leighanne says. "I’m walking for the 10 years we have had to learn how to live without him. I’m walking for every family who has received a diagnosis that changed their lives in an instant. And I’m walking in the hope that someday, a pancreatic cancer diagnosis won't automatically mean there is nothing left to do."

How You Can Help

Every dollar raised through the Run for Survival funds critical research into early detection, better treatments, and vital support for families navigating a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Support Leighanne's fundraising efforts and read her complete tribute to her father, Zane: Pancreatic Cancer North America - Leighanne (Lilly) Austin

Join a Run for Survival near you or participate virtually: Run for Survival | Pancreatic Cancer North America

‍

Facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis or supporting a loved one through treatment? You are not alone. Connect with our dedicated support team here: Pancreatic Support Hub | Pancreatic Cancer North America

‍