Italian Restaurant North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 507)
Maria Fundora has a passion for finding a cure for pancreatic cancer and assisting those who suffer from this terrible disease. Maria joined host John Ray on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio to discuss Purple Pansies, a non-profit she founded to fund pancreatic cancer research. Maria discussed the beginnings of the organization, why pancreatic cancer research is so needed, upcoming events, and more. Purple Pansies is just one way in which Maria and her family give back to the community through their business, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant.
North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Maria Fundora, General Manager, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant, and Founder, Purple Pansies
Maria Fundora is the General Manager at her family-owned and operated restaurant, Casa Nuova, in Alpharetta, GA.
Purple Pansies was founded by Maria after the loss of her loving mother, Iluminada Milian, to pancreatic cancer in 2007.
The pancreas is not the only organ that can be affected by pancreatic cancer. The liver, spleen, stomach, gallbladder, and large intestine can all be affected as well.
Key facts to know about pancreatic cancer include:
- An estimated 60,430 adults (31,950 men and 28,480 men) in the US will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatic cancer accounts for 3% of all cancers and 7% of all cancer deaths
- It is the 3rd leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the US
- Since 2000, the death rate has slowly increased each year
- The 5-year survival rate tells you what percent of people live at least 5 years after the cancer is found. Percent means how many out of 100. The general 5-year survival rate for people with pancreatic cancer is 10%.
Purple Pansies is a way to honor her mother, spread her lesson of compassion, and carry on in her footsteps by helping others afflicted by the disease that took her away.
Its mission is to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer. Early detection is critical to improving survival rates. Research facilities need funding to continue clinical trials.
Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers but receives only 6% of research funding. We are dedicated to raising money for much-needed cancer research.
Purple Pansies has raised over $3 Million dollars to fund research, as well as, to aid families in our community.
Their next fundraising event, Pillars of Hope. is on September 18, 2022, at the Metropolitan Club and information can be found here.
- About Casa Nuova
- About Purple Pansies
- Pancreatic cancer and research
- Pillars of Hope
North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
Special thanks to A&S Culinary Concepts for their support of this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. A&S Culinary Concepts, based in Johns Creek, is an award-winning culinary studio, celebrated for corporate catering, corporate team building, Big Green Egg Boot Camps, and private group events. They also provide oven-ready, cooked-from-scratch meals to go they call “Let Us Cook for You.” To see their menus and events, go to their website or call 678-336-9196.
