Star Trekicons Jonathan Frakes, Armin Shimerman, John Billingsley, and Kitty Swink, along with Juan Carlos Coto, joined forces in a real-world crossover to fight pancreatic cancer. Of course, Frakes is best known as Commander Will Riker onStar Trek: The Next Generation, Shimerman played Quark, and his wife, Kitty, guest-starred onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Billingsley portrayed Dr. Phlox onStar Trek: Enterprise. Coto is a TV writer and showrunner who is the younger brother of Manny Coto, the late showrunner ofStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 4.
Jonathan Frakes, Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink, John Billingsley, and Juan Carlos Coto united as Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan). PanCan is a wonderful organization that helps patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer find an oncologist and medical help, and it also provides support for their families and caregivers. As a team,Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer is participating in the annual PanCan PurpleStride benefit, taking place on Saturday, April 26, in cities nationwide.Click here to donate to Trek Against Pancreatic Cancerand learn more.
I was delighted to join Kitty Swink, Armin Shimerman, John Billingsley, Juan Carlos Coto, and Jonathan Frakes when they appeared on Virtual Trek Con’sThe Main Viewerto promote PanCan PurpleStride. I joinedThe Main Viewer’s hosts, Ryan T. Husk, Malissa Longo, and Jenny R. Johnson, to hear about the history of Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer andhow to support PanCan PurpleStride.
Why Jonathan Frakes, Kitty Swink, Armin Shimerman, John Billingsley & Juan Carlos Cotos Formed Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer
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As team Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer explained on Virtual Trek Con’sThe Main Viewer,Kitty Swink is a 20+ year pancreatic cancer survivorwith the help of her husband, Armin Shimerman. Kitty and Armin reached out to Jonathan Frakes, whose younger brother, Daniel Frakes, died of pancreatic cancer because he was diagnosed too late. John Billingsley then joined the group; John’s mother passed away from pancreatic cancer. Finally, Juan Carlos Coto is the newest member, joining in honor of his late brother, Manny Coto.
Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer is one of the top fundraising teams in the United States, thanks to the support ofStar Trekfans. In fact, Juan Carlos Coto was the highest fundraising individual in 2024. The otherStar Trekactors joke thatJonathan Frakes is especially competitive about raising money, but all the funds each individual raises also benefit Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer’s overall team total.Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer’s 2025 PanCan PurpleStride fundraising goal is $150,000, and they have, as of this writing, reached 84% of their goal with over $125,000 raised.
The money raised for PanCan is even more vital now to continue the work to save lives.
One of PanCan’s missions is to raise the survival rate of patients, which is currently 13%. While that may seem low, thanks to PanCan’s work, that number is three times what it was years ago. Of course, the hope is to find a cure for pancreatic cancer. Another reason PanCan PurpleStride’s fundraising is so important is thatthe federal government recently cut funding for pancreatic cancer research. The money raised for PanCan is even more vital now to continue the work to save lives from pancreatic cancer.
How Star Trek Fans Can Get Involved With Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer
Here Are Ways To Donate And Get Involved With PanCan
Star Trekfans who supportGene Roddenberry’s hopeful and inclusive visionfor a better future are encouraged to join the efforts of Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer. There are a few ways to help. First, fans can donate to Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer atpurplestride.org/teamtrek. Of course,Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer would enjoy the bragging rights of being the top fundraising team in the country.
Another way to get involved is towalk in PanCan PurpleStride in any of the events held in the 60 citiesin the United States on Saturday, April 26. ForStar Trekfans who are Los Angeles-based, they can even join Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer and walk with Kitty Swink, John Billingsley, and Juan Carlos Cotos, as well as thousands of other PanCan supporters and volunteers, at Santa Monica Beach.
Even after this year’s PanCan PurpleStride is over, fans are encouraged to keep donating to Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer and PanCan.
I was fortunate to walk with team Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer at last year’s PanCan PurpleStridein Santa Monica. It was a fantastic and uplifting morning I shared with friends, and we also had a blast meeting Jonathan Frakes, Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink, John Billingsley, and Juan Carlos Cotos in person. A surprise bonus wasStar Trek: Strange New Worlds' Jess Bushjoining the walk at Frakes' invitation. PanCan PurpleStride was such a joyous celebration, and I’m looking forward to participating in this year’s walk.
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Jonathan Frakes remains sought-after as a director, and Star Trekfans will soon see his episode ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3,which will finally premiere this summer on Paramount+.Frakes directed a noir-inspired “Hollywood murder mystery” episode ofStrange New Worldsseason 3that he called"the best hour of TV"he’s ever done. Jonathan is also directing the penultimate episode ofStar Trek: Starfleet Academyseason 1, which is expected to premiere on Paramount+ in 2026.
Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink, and John Billingsley are belovedStar Treklegacy actors who are happy to meet fans atStar Trekconventions nationwide. In March, Armin finished directing an acclaimed production ofTwelfth Night, which starred Kitty.Billingsley helps run the Hollywood Food Coalition, which just raised over $80,000 during its annualTrek Talks 4telethon, which was held onFirst Contact Day(April 5). Coto is an executive producer, writer, and director of Fox’s9-1-1.
Captain Will Riker, Quark, and Dr. Phlox as a real-world team is an unbeatable combination.
Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer’s members are proud to be eternally linked toStar Trek,and they are counting onStar Trekfans' support in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Captain Will Riker, Quark, and Dr. Phlox as a real-world team is an unbeatable combination.
Register and Donate toTrek Against Pancreatic Cancer
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Cast
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.
