INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Pancreatic cancer is on the rise, especially in people younger than 55.

It’s all increasing more rapidly in women than in men. More than 56 thousand people will be diagnosed with it this year.

There is no single cause, but some factors that increase your risk, including smoking and heavy drinking. However, finding it even before you have symptoms is key to surviving it.

Pastor Brenda Bravatty takes her message of faith around the world. She believes she’s alive today because of divine intervention.

“The fact that I am here is really a combination of faith and the medical treatment that I had, because I had no symptoms, it was quite a surprise,” said Bravatty.

But Brenda is high-risk. Her mother, aunt, and uncle all died from cancer. Then, two brothers were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“Most patients with pancreas cancer, unfortunately, also die from pancreas cancer,” said Dr. Rajesh Keswani, a gastroenterologist at Northwestern Medicine.

That’s why Keswani enrolled Brenda in a high-risk pancreas screening program. When her MRI came back normal, he recommended an endoscopic ultrasound to look for the smallest sign of the disease.

“That’s a special camera that goes through the mouth, and with a little ultrasound at the end of it, I can actually look through the stomach or look through the small intestine at the pancreas itself,” he explained.

80% of the time, pancreatic cancer is found too late. However, if you have just one family member who had pancreatic or breast cancer, with the BRCA I or II mutation, it’s crucial to get screened.

“Finding it early for someone like this is really their only hope of not passing away from pancreas cancer,” said Keswani.

Brenda had surgery to remove her tumor, followed by six months of chemo. Today she is cancer-free.

“I never thought that I was going to die. I had, really, faith that I was going to go through,” said Bravatty.

Now, Brenda preaches preventative care and her story of hope and survival.

If you have a history of cancer in your family, it’s not only important to talk to your doctor, but consult a cancer genetics expert, which can help aid in early detection.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.