ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — An Anderson Township pancreatic cancer survivor is turning her recovery into a campaign for research.
“If I can bring a little hope to somebody else facing that tunnel, I want to,” Barbara Thornton said.
Thornton’s journey began in the summer of 2021. She noticed a strange knot and persistent pain on her left side. At the time, she was caring for an uncle, and her symptoms were vague, which delayed her diagnosis.
"I started having this pain on my left side bra line that any curb I hit or any shift in my torso just sent me through the roof," Thornton said.
It took about six weeks from her first visit to a physician to get a formal diagnosis.
She said that delay is not uncommon. Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal pancreatic cells grow out of control and form tumors, according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Since other structures and early symptoms surrounding the organ can be mild or ambiguous, the disease is often detected at a later stage, when it can be harder to treat.
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer sits around 13%.
Some symptoms include abnormal or mid-back pain, loss of appetite, jaundice, weight loss, nausea, change in stool and recent onset of diabetes.
Thornton underwent multiple courses of chemotherapy until Dec. 18, 2025. When standard chemotherapy stopped being effective, her care team transitioned her to immunotherapy, specifically Keytruda. Within about three months, her blood work normalized, and her scans cleared.
WATCH: How one survivor is hosting a community bake sale to raise money for PanCAN and offer hope to newly diagnosed patients
"It got to a point where the chemo that I was on didn't seem to be effective anymore. So they said we're going to try immunotherapy," Thornton said. "And within three months after that, my blood work was normal, and my scans were clear."
Family and community support have been central to her fight. Thornton leaned on Mary Reike, one of her five sisters.
"I have to reiterate how far research has come in the four years she had this disease, she's been able to benefit from that and I can't help to think that anyone that started now, maybe four years from now there will be more people like Barb, survivors," Rieke, Thornton's older sister, said.
Thornton said a neighbor who is a former oncology nurse accompanied her to initial appointments.
"I'll tell my wife's story to anyone that want's to hear it, and let them know if you do get this ugly disease that it doesn't have to take you. There's ways to beat it, I think what helped Barb is her positive attitude," Bob Thornton, Barbara Thornton's husband, said.
Barbara Thornton's daughter organized a PurpleStride team for PanCAN’s fundraising walk, and Thornton connected with other survivors through local PanCAN events. She emphasizes both realism and hope in her advocacy.
"I know there aren't a lot of advanced treatment options. I know it, and I'm not trying to give anybody false hope, but I'm also just trying to shed a little light," Barbara Thornton said.
PanCAN is a nonprofit that offers patient resources, funds research and publishes educational materials about the pancreas and pancreatic cancer.
Barbara Thornton is hosting a campaign for research with a community bake sale on April 4, from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. at 1128 Brooke Ave.
All proceeds will go to PanCAN. This includes projects at the University of Cincinnati that Thornton supports.
"I felt that, if I could make it through that, the whole four and a half, four year journey of all the stuff they could throw at me, I can hopefully bring a little hope to somebody else who is facing down that tunnel, and it looks pretty dark, and just try to give them a little light at the end of that tunnel, because I didn't know anybody who'd survived it," Barbara Thornton said.
People who cannot attend the bake sale but want to support the cause can click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
