Kent's Story

Kent William Pankow was raised just east of Olds on the Steve and Janette Pankow farm, with his brother Scott. He attended the Culinary Arts program at NAIT and graduated as a Red Seal Chef in 1991. Kent spent most of his career working as a sous chef for Westin Hotels in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Highlights of Kent’s career include representing Canada in Taiwan as an expert in Canadian cuisine for the Canadian Federation of Beef, and assisting Executive Chef Emmanuel David of Team Alberta in preparation for the World Culinary Olympic Competitions in Luxembourg, Berlin and Frankfurt. Kent has been the Volunteer Chef Coordinator for the Cancer Relay for Life and the Kids for Cancer Run on several occasions. As a 10 year cancer Survivor, Kent also actively supports and mentors people of all ages who are battling various forms of the disease. In 2006 Kent married Deborah Hurford, and they live in Edmonton.

Kent’s Battle with Brain Cancer

January 2000 – Kent had a seizure and was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumor, the size of a golf ball, in the right frontal lobe of his brain. He successfully underwent 2 skull surgeries, maximum radiation, and Temadol chemo treatment at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. Kent remained stable for 7 years, despite the fact that most GBM patients die within a year of diagnosis. Given the aggressive nature of GBM tumours, Kent’s recovery was considered remarkable - but for anyone who knows him, he’s no quitter, so you know the rest…

February 2008 – During Kent’s annual MRI, two small tumour spots were noted in his right frontal lobe and Kent received Temadol, then CCNU and finally Etoposide chemo from May 2008 until August of 2009. During this 16-month period the tumour continued to grow but the Alberta Cancer Board did not approve Kent as a candidate for surgery.

September of 2009 – Kent went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for a second opinion and lifesaving surgery, utilizing an MRI surgical suite and advanced brain mapping techniques. The result – another amazing recovery! Once again, Kent astounded his family, friends and doctors, but the medical expenses were a daunting $86,000.00 US!

November 2009 – Since Mayo doctors were only able to remove 90-95% of the tumour, Kent was prescribed an anti-angiogenesis drug called Avastin, along with Etoposide chemo, to attack the remaining tumour cells. Avastin is not currently covered by Alberta Health Services for brain cancer, so Kent’s treatments cost a staggering $4,555.00 CDN every two weeks. Kent had 11 Avastin treatments and his tumour remained stable until mid March of 2010, when it showed signs of progression once again.

March 2010 – Kent is currently taking a daily high dose of Tamoxifen chemo and he continues to fight his battle with courage and determination. Over 1,000 people have been following his journey on Facebook and these members of “Team Kent” are a source of inspiration and strength.

Kent purchased his Harley Davidson motorcycle a year before his diagnosis, and he says that riding is still the BEST medicine…

For further details about Kent’s incredible story go to the Team-Kent Pankow Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9933&id=100000362375869&l=7e1944dcd9

Or email team.kent@hotmail.com to receive email updates from Kent and Deb.

The following is an overview of new media coverage of Kent's story:

February 11 and 12, 2010 – CTV Edmonton (aired in Calgary and Saskatchewan also)
Dez Melenka: The story is on the left and the video is on the right side of the page.  There will be a 30 second commercial before the story begins:
http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100211/edm_cancer_100211/20100211/?hub=EdmontonHome

March 7, 2010 - Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg Sun
Mark Bonokoski: The Toronto Sun featured Kent's story in their Sunday March 7, 2010 newspaper.  The article also appeared in the Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg Sun as well as Canoe.ca the same day.  See comments from the public, as well:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/mark_bonokoski/2010/03/06/13138311.html#/news/columnists/mark_bonokoski/2010/03/06/pf-13139371.html
and on Canoe.ca: Vancouver
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/national/2010/03/06/13138726.html
and on Yahoo News Canada
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/edmsun/100306/canada/sick_man_faces_bankruptcy___or_death

March 8, 2010 - Interview w/ Roy Green (Dave Rutherford Show), 630 CHED Radio
The interview starts at 08:20 and is 52 minutes long, including news and commercials.  Shona Holmes, a Canadian who went to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona for surgery, is also interviewed:
http://www.corusradio.com/Shared/AudioVault/CHEDAMaudioVault.asp?VaultDate=20100308&VaultTime=09&mysubmit=Listen

March 8, 2010 - Edmonton's Metro Newspaper
Monique Massiah
http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/local/article/471606--i-don-t-know-anybody-who-could-afford-it

March 11, 2010 - Interview w/ Roy Green (Dave Rutherford Show), 630 CHED Radio
The interview starts at 08:45 and is 52 minutes long, including news and commercials.
Dr. Marc C. Chamberlain, Director, Neuro-oncology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Care Centre in Seattle, is also interviewed, and he refers to two Avastin clinical trials that led to the FDA approving Avastin as a brain tumour treatment in the USA.
http://www.corusradio.com/Shared/AudioVault/CHEDAMaudioVault.asp?VaultDate=20100311&VaultTime=09&mysubmit=Listen

March 12, 2010 - Edmonton Sun
Andrew Hanon
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/columnists/andrew_hanon/2010/03/11/13201571.html

March 14, 2010 – Robin Anderson, National Sun and Canoe.ca Columnist
http://www.edmontonsun.com/life/columnists/robin_anderson/2010/03/11/13212336.html
and March 16, 2010 on School of Life: Canada’s Advice Column

March 20, 2010 - Interview w/ Roy Green on the Roy Green Show, 630 CHED Radio
In follow up to Roy’s interviews with us on the Dave Rutherford Show on March 8 and 11, 2010, Roy interviewed us on his national radio show.  The 6-minute update begins at 50:10
http://www.corusradio.com/Shared/AudioVault/CHEDAMaudioVault.asp?VaultDate=20100320&VaultTime=14&mysubmit=Listen

March 25, 2010 - CTV News - Dez Melenka
The story is on the left and the video is on the right.  There will be a 30 second commercial before the story begins:
http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100325/edm_avastin_100325/20100325/?hub=EdmontonHome
Kent Pankow links on CTV: http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080909/edm_sept_newslinks_080909/20080909/?hub=EdmontonHome

March 26, 2010 – Edmonton Sun
Candice Ward
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/alberta/2010/03/26/13376081.html