Gary Player, a golfing legend, recently visited Nebraska to learn about the cutting-edge pancreatic cancer research happening in our state.

"These people want to cure pancreatic cancer, and they will do it because they're not saying we'd like to, it's possible; they're saying we will cancel this disease, and we will change many peoples' lives and give them life quality," Player said.

Player says his own family has been impacted by cancer.

In the hopes of making a difference, last October, Player and other professional golfers hosted the first Berenberg Invitational, a Pro-Am golf event, raising $700,000 to support pancreatic cancer research at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha.

The cancer center says this research could lead to new findings for drug discovery, development of biomarkers and a better understanding of the complexities of pancreatic cancer.

"Pancreas cancer is the tenth most common diagnosed cancer in the United States, but it's without a doubt the third most lethal. Not just across our nation, but here in Nebraska as well. That is because early detection, prevention and indeed effective long-term treatment have evaded our reach since the very beginning of time when this disease was identified," said UNMC Chancellor Jeffery P. Gold, MD.

Experts say that right now, the overall five-year survival rate for patients with this cancer is around five percent.