TV Stars Unite to Walk: Days of our Lives

Today, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) announced the lineup of celebrities who will lend their voices to this year’s PanCAN PurpleStride, the ultimate walk to end pancreatic cancer. PurpleStride will take place nationwide in nearly 60 communities on April 26, 2025, bringing together survivors, supporters, celebrities, and special guests to raise awareness and critical funds for pancreatic cancer—one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

From coast to coast and across the television spectrum, notable figures will join the fight. Joan Vassos is a featured speaker at PurpleStride Washington D.C., while actors from Star Trek, including Kitty Swink, Armin Shimerman, Jonathan Frakes, John Billingsley, and TV writer-producer Juan Carlos Coto, who lost his brother, “Star Trek Enterprise” Executive Producer Manny Coto, to the disease, along with Eric idle, Lisa Swayze and Days of our Lives’ Martha Madison will participate in PurpleStride Los Angeles.

Days of our Lives stars team up

Daytime TV stars Martha Madison (Belle) and Eric Martsolf (Brady) from Days of our Lives have formed their PurpleStride team, “Hogey's Home Runners” in honor of TV’s greatest hero — and their onscreen dad — Drake Hogestyn, who portrayed John Black. After losing Drake to pancreatic cancer, they are coming together for PurpleStride Los Angeles to raise funds and awareness in his memory. “Drake was the most energetic, optimistic and compassionate man in Salem, and we know he would want us to focus on joy, togetherness and fun as we move toward a future devoid of pancreatic cancer,” said Martha Madison. “So, with a heart full of Drake's team spirit and a crew full of Salem's most familiar faces, we invite you to join in our first-ever PurpleStride team walk in Los Angeles on April 26th! We'd love to see you there!”

Reality star and advocate, Joan Vassos will lead her team “It's Just A Sprain” at PanCAN PurpleStride Washington D.C., in honor of her late husband, John, who passed away from the disease in 2021. “When John was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he approached his diagnosis with the same hopeful spirit…”it’s just a sprain.” There was no way he was going to be taken out of the game. But all the visits to our local oncologists, the trips to MD Anderson in Houston, the unending rounds of chemo, and the multiple radiation treatments just weren’t enough to keep John in the game. He passed away after almost 2 years of fighting this horrible disease,” said Joan Vassos. “Our family is so grateful to finally have a way to honor John’s memory in a way that would have been meaningful to him–by helping others. Please join us in keeping John’s memory alive!”

Other notable celebrities include:

· Lisa Swayze: Writer, director, actress, dancer and wife of the late actor, Patrick Swayze, who passed from pancreatic cancer. Lisa will cut the purple ribbon atPurpleStride Los Angeles.

· Star Trek Team: Once again leading the charge for team “Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer” are Jonathan Frakes ("Picard," "Star Trek: Strange New World" Season 2), Armin Shimerman ("Deep Space Nine"), the inspiring Kitty Swink, a 21-year pancreatic cancer survivor from "Deep Space Nine", John Billingsley("Star Trek: Enterprise") and TV writer-producer Juan Carlos Coto, who lost his brother, “Star Trek Enterprise” Executive Producer Manny Coto, to the disease. This dedicated team is boldly going where they've gone before: participating in their fifth PanCAN PurpleStride!

· Eric Idle: British comedian, actor, author, and a five-year pancreatic cancer survivor, will join the Los Angeles walk for the third consecutive year.

· Judge Frank Caprio: Chief Municipal Judge in Providence, Rhode Island and former Chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education, is a pancreatic cancer survivor. His unique judicial temperament is televised on the 4-time Emmy nominated show, Caught in Providence and he is known as “The World’s Nicest Judge!” Judge Caprio leads Team Don’t Judge Me as part of PurpleStride Rhode Island.

Pancreatic cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and is on track to become the second leading cause. It is the only major cancer with a five-year survival rate below 20%. Because symptoms are often vague and mimic other illnesses or conditions, most patients are diagnosed in the late stages of the disease. Finding a pancreatic tumor early, when it can be surgically removed, is critical for survival. There is no standard screening strategy for pancreatic cancer, highlighting the urgent need for increased research, funding and awareness to improve patient outcomes.

Notable individuals who have succumbed to pancreatic cancer in recent years include Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, talk show host Jerry Springer, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, producer Quincy Jones and U.S. Representative John Lewis, to name a few.

For more information about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its urgent mission to save lives, visit pancan.org or follow PanCAN on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is the leading organization dedicated to advancing progress against pancreatic cancer. We empower patients and caregivers with the resources and knowledge they need to advocate for the care they deserve; we are pioneering the advancement of an early detection strategy for pancreatic cancer and revolutionizing the development of advanced and personalized treatments; and we are building and mobilizing the pancreatic cancer field to ensure better outcomes for all those who face pancreatic cancer today and all those who will fight this disease tomorrow.

Watch Martha Madison (Belle) and Eric Martsolf (Brady) on Days of our Lives on Peacock.