Remembering Patrick Swayze
- Iconic actor and dancer Patrick Swayze was born on August 18, 1952.
- Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2008, and passed away on September 14, 2009, at age 57.
- Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease, so early detection is key, which is often difficult due to a lack of screening methods.
Swayze was known for his starring roles in memorable films, like Ghost, Roadhouse, Point Break, The Outsiders, and of course, Dirty Dancing.
Read MoreFans commented on her post saying they missed seeing Swayze on screen. “I have always enjoyed watching your husband’s movies! I miss seeing him light up a movie by being in it,” one Twitter user wrote. “I’m never going to forget him. Yes, it is hard to believe he’s gone. Sending you hugs and will keep you and him in my thoughts.”
“He was spectacular! Not knowing him personally of course but his first interview with Barbara Walters in 88 after Dirty Dancing I was forever hooked,” another fan wrote.
“His eyes showed the window to his loving, gentle, kind soul.”
Back in 2020, news of a Dirty Dancing sequel was teased, but of course, the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted. Now, filming is set to begin up in the Catskill mountainspresumably at the same location, Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginiasometime this year with a planned release date of February 9, 2024.
Former leading actor Jennifer Grey will be reprising her role as Francis "Baby" Houseman, but no further announcements as to what other original cast members are returning.
Casting for the sequel is reportedly underway and production is set to begin later this year.
Jennifer Grey, who will serve as an executive producer on the film, said in a previous interview with PEOPLE that there will be no attempts to replicate anything from the original.
"All I can say is there is no replacing anyone who's passedyou never try to repeat anything that's magic like that," Grey said. "You just go for something different."
During an investors earnings call in August 2020, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed a sequel would be made, describing it as “one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood,” according to Deadline.
Feltheimer said, “It will be exactly the kind of romantic, nostalgic movie that the franchise's fans have been waiting for and that have made it the biggest-selling library title in the Company's history.”
Jonathan Levine, who was hired as the director of Dirty Dancing 2.0 by Lionsgate, said in a statement, “While the original 'Dirty Dancing' has always been one of my favorite films, I never imagined I would direct the sequel.
“Through co-writing it, I fell in love with the characters (new and old), the world of 1990s Catskills New York, and the music, which will range from songs from the original movie to '90s hip-hop."
"I can't wait to collaborate with Jennifer to bring this beautiful story of summer and romance and dancing to a generation of new fans," he continued. “And to the longtime ones, I promise we will not ruin your childhood. We will tackle the assignment with sophistication, ambition, and, above all, love.”
Patrick Swayze's Cancer Battle
Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2008, and fought the disease for a year-and-a-half. The talented dancer began experiencing symptoms in December 2007, but he didn't realize it at the time. Instead, he thought he was just having digestive issues.
In his own 2009 memoir, The Time of My Life, Swayze wrote about how he thought the bloated feeling would just go away on its own.
Challenges to Screening for Pancreatic Cancer
"I had been having some digestive trouble," he wrote. "Mostly acid reflux and a kind of bloated feeling, for a few weeks. I've had a sensitive stomach my whole life, so I hadn't thought much of it, but lately, I just couldn't shake the constant discomfort."
Understanding Pancreatic Cancer
With a five-year survival rate of just 9%, it's vital that pancreatic cancer is caught as early as possible. However, early detection is notoriously challenging for this disease, as symptoms often don't present themselves until the disease has already progressed into later stages.
"So the pancreas is an organ in your belly, and this is where pancreatic cancer arises," Dr. Anirban Maitra, co-leader of Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
"Because the pancreas is inside the abdomen, it often doesn't have symptoms that would tell you that something is wrong with your pancreas,” Dr. Maitra explained. “By the time individuals walk into the clinic with symptoms like jaundice, weight loss, back pain, or diabetes, it's often very late in the stage of the disease."
"Each year in the United States, about 53,000 patients get pancreatic cancer," he said. "And unfortunately, most will die from this disease within a few months to a year or so from the diagnosis. And the reason for that is that most individuals, about 80%, will actually present with what we called advanced disease, which means that the cancer has either spread beyond the pancreas or into other organs like the liver, and so you cannot take it out with surgeries. Only about 20% of individuals will actually be candidates for surgery."
Remembering Iconic '80s and '90s Actor Patrick Swayze
This being said, it's still possible to be vigilant about signs that something may be wrong. Here are the most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer:
- Abdominal bloating
- Abdominal or back pain
- Digestive problems
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- Changes in bowel movements
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blood clots (can cause swelling and tenderness in affected areas)
- Diabetes
Contributing: Marisa Sullivan
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