PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) —- Witches and warlocks traded in their brooms and pitchforks for bicycles at this weekend’s Annual Witches of St. Andrews Ride for a Cure fundraiser.

“I’m a nine-year survivor of pancreatic, and we formed the group to help patients who need our care, like gas cards, travel meals, medical bills, whatever they need,” Bay County resident Doris Bowdoin said. 

Bowdoin was diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer in 2014.

On Halloween day in 2014, Bowdoin underwent surgery.

Once recovered she set out to bring more awareness to the disease…

“It’s a silent killer. You just don’t know you have it. So that’s why we’re we’re focusing on pancreatic,” Bowdoin said. 

Bowdoin said this year’s event is on track to raise about $60,000.

“Just local within our area,” Bowdoin said.  “And the word is getting out there now. We’ve had a couple of patients that’s just been diagnosed and I have, we have two more that has called in that they had just been diagnosed. So word is getting out there.”

Pam Isenberg reached out to the witches of Saint Andrews when her husband Eric was diagnosed in September 2020. 

“He survived 6 months and some of those months for heart.,” Isenberg said. “So I want people to know that there’s something they can reach out to, which is that will help them mentally as well as monetarily and with advice.”

Pam and her husband Eric had been married for nearly 50 years when he passed away in March 2021. 

“Want to hopefully help other families so they will not have to go through what we went through,” Isenberg said.  

Bowdion urges anyone affected by Pancreatic Cancer to reach out. 

“Emotionally financial will carry you back or get someone to transport you back and forth to your doctor’s appointments,” Bowdoin said. “If you go out of town, we give you travel to go out of town for lodging and meals. So please, please. That’s what that’s what we’re here for and that’s what our sponsors are here for.”

Click here for more information on the Witches of St. Andrew’s or click here (Witches4Pancreatic) if you’d like to donate.