Meet Hasket Morris, YPB Member

Hasket Morris,
YPB Member

Hasket's heart is purple for his dad, who was diagnosed on April 1, 2014. "His battle has drummed up a community of support I don't think he ever thought was possible. It's giving him lots of additional strength which he so desperately needs and he loves hearing news on the steps we're taking to eradicate the disease."

Hasket  found out about the Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation through a friend who grew up with young professional board member Alyssa Van Denburg. "They told me about the Dash for Detection 5K in the Spring. My dad was thrilled that I did it. That lead to me going on the benefit cruise which he also loved hearing about. There, I was approached and offered young professional board membership. The feeling of knowing we're doing things to keep others from having to experience this has been really wonderful."

Hasket is from Ferrisburgh, VT and currently lives in Chicago's East Lakeview neighborhood. He graduated with a B.A. from Columbia College Chicago. He works as an actor for various companies in the city.

Meet Davis O'Connell, YPB Member

Davis O'Connell, YPB Member

Davis's heart is purple for all those who have been and will be affected by pancreatic cancer, particularly his fellow YPB members.

Now, for some fun facts about Davis...

Davis's favorite sports team is the Chicago Blackhawks. "The early 2000's were bleak, but with two Stanley Cups in the past five years, things have been going pretty well."

Davis travels almost every week for work, but, when he isn't on the road, he enjoys playing ice hockey on a local men's league team and golf. In the summer, he tries to spend "as much time as possible on a Chicago rooftop enjoying a good beer with friends."  He also enjoys wakeboarding in the summer, skiing in the winter, and is a lover of stand-up comedy. 

As a child, Davis aspired to be an astronomer. While he bailed on this idea in pursuit of a consulting career, he still enjoys reading articles and books on the subject. 

Davis is from Wilmette, IL and currently lives in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood.  He graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and works as a consultant in Accenture's Smart Grid Services practice.

Meet Katie Brungardt, YPB Member

Katie Brungardt, YPB Member

Katie’s heart is purple for her step-dad, Craig, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April of 2013—about two months before Katie graduated from college. Craig fought his battle for nearly a year, nine months longer than his prognosis.  “His last year on earth was one well lived.  We traveled, saw family, ate good food and spent time making memories as a family.”

“Craig came into my life when I was just 18 months old. He has been a huge part of my life, he was my biggest supporter, my cheerleader and the rock of our family. He put me through school, taught me how to drive a car, and showered me, my mom, and two sisters with love and laughter. He was such a prankster and had the best laugh out of anyone I knew.  I got involved with the Rolfe Foundation through Jim Rolfe who reached out to me when he learned that pancreatic cancer had touched my life in a similar fashion to his own.”

Now, for some fun facts about Katie…

Her favorite quote is: "Live in the moment."

Katie is a “huge college basketball fan,” and her favorite teams are the KU Jaywhawks and Saint Louis University Billikens.  She is also roots for the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals.

When asked about an interesting hobby or passion, Katie replied, “I love traveling! I studied in Madrid, Spain for a semester and did an emerging market field study in Panama my senior year of college. I never miss an opportunity to go some place new.”

Katie describes herself as “optimistic,” and her hobbies include reading, long distance running and any kind of outdoor activity. As Katie admits, “I also have a slight obsession with dogs, Disney movies and Christmas.”

When asked about her favorite restaurant, Katie responded, " Nookies. I love breakfast food. A lot.”

Katie is inspired by  all four of her parents. “Being part of a blended family, I am fortunate to have had great relationships with my mom, dad, step-mom and of course my amazing step-dad. Each one of them has taught me so much, and they are all four so different—I feel like I am a more well-rounded individual because of the influence each one of them has had on my life.”

Katie’s favorite summer activities are “Running and biking—especially down the lakefront.”  During the winter, Katie enjoys “ drinking hot chocolate. Skiing is fun too, but I'm better at the former.”

Katie is from Shawnee, KS and currently lives in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. She graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Saint Louis University and currently works as a  Credit Analyst for The Private Bank.

Meet Luke Sullivan, YPB Member

Luke Sullivan, YPB Member

Luke's heart is purple for his grandmother, Ruth Dzikonski, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2013.  "Her fight has inspired me to work so that nobody else has to experience what she is going through. She has been such an amazing influence on my life and I hope to honor her through my involvement with the foundation."

When asked about his favorite memory of his grandmother, Luke responded, "I will always cherish all the fun times visiting my grandmother during Christmases when I was growing up."

Now, for some fun facts about Luke...

His favorite quote is: "Live in the moment."

Born and raised in Texas, Luke's favorite sports team is the Dallas Cowboys.

Luke describes himself as "driven" and enjoys reading and being active.

When asked about his favorite restaurant, Luke responded, "There are so many great restaurants that it's hard to pick just one. Ann Sather is one of my favorites- it's hard to beat the cinnamon rolls and I have lots of good memories there."

Luke is inspired by "anybody who succeeds when the odds are against them."

As a child, Luke wanted to grow up to become a firefighter.

In the summer, Luke's favorite activity is playing beach volleyball.  During the winter, you can find Luke "wishing I was back home in Texas where it's warmer."

Luke is from Carrollton, TX and currently lives in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. He graduated with a B.A. in Biochemistry from Kenyon College and works as a researcher at The ABIS Group, a competitive intelligence and health care information company.

Meet Meredith Brown, YPB Member

Meredith Brown, YPB Member

Meredith's heart is purple for her grandmother, Ann Brown, who passed away from pancreatic cancer while Meredith was in high school.  As Meredith remembers, "She was kind, generous, and cared deeply about her family. She taught me many things including how to sew and how to play the sport of curling. She has been an inspiration for me that you can do anything you set your mind to and that it is possible to do it all as long as you find the balance in things and have a positive attitude."

According to Meredith, "It is for her and the rest of my family that I felt compelled to join the YPB and help to raise awareness and support of early detection so that someday no one else will have to go through the pain of losing someone to pancreatic cancer."

Now, for some fun facts about Meredith...

Her favorite quote is: "Choose to be happy."

Meredith's favorite sports team is the University of Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Team.  She started out her college career at UK and still bleeds blue!

When asked about an interesting hobby or passion, Meredith shared, "I have been participating in the sport of curling since I could walk. When I was younger I even went to the JR Nationals representing Team Illinois twice!"

She is inspired by her parents Ken and Amy.  "They inspire me everyday to be the best person I can be, to love my family, and to live every moment to the fullest."

Meredith currently lives in her hometown of Deerfield, IL.  She graduated with a B.A. in English from Loyola Univeristy of Chicago and works as a teaching assistant at a local elementary school in the special education department. She is currently in the process of applying to go back to school to get her masters degree and teaching certification.

Meet Storm Saponaro, YPB Member

Storm Saponaro, YPB Member

Storm's heart is purple for his father, Chuck Saponaro, who lost his battle to pancreatic cancer 5 years ago this May.  "My Dad still is my role model and he is the reason that I joined the YPB. Hopefully we can work towards a cure so others do not have to go through what our family has endured."

Now, for some fun facts about Storm...

His favorite quote is:  "Always play like there is one minute left."

When asked about his favorite sports team, Storm replied, "I root for all of the Chicago Teams."

He enjoys volunteering.

Storm's favorite restaurant in Chicago is Sapori, an Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park.

He is inspired by his Mom and Dad.

Growing up, Storm wanted to be, "A business man."

In the summer, Storm's favorite activity is "Going to the Cubs game with my brother and hanging outside with friends."  During the winter, "Marathoning a TV show with friends or reading a great book on my couch!"

Storm is a Chicago native and currently lives in Chicago's Ravenswood Manor neighborhood.  He graduated with a B.S. in Business and Enterprise Management from Wake Forest University Schools of Business and now works as a Sales Operations Manager for energy.me. Storm describes himself as outgoing, and he has a younger brother named Jett.

Meet Jacob Murphy, YPB Member

Jacob Murphy, YPB Member

Jacob's heart is purple for his grandmother, Perle Cole, who taught him all the worthwhile things he knows about loving life.  "She gave me a ring while she was quite sick, and I have yet to take off to this day."

During her illness, Jacob remembers his grandmother buying a small rotisserie oven for her bedroom to cook chicken.  According to Jacob, "It wasn’t that she had a particular thing for chicken (she actually didn't like to cook too much), but she just saw the oven on an infomercial, observed she’d never bought anything from an infomercial, and decided that that was something she Just Had To Do – for fun.  She didn’t want to be (and wasn’t) ruled by her illness. She never stopped finding joy in the little things, and thought it would be a laugh to cook some chickens, because hey – why not?"

Now, for some fun facts about Jacob...

Jacob's favorite quote is:  "This makes no sense, and so do I." - Daffy Duck

When asked about his favorite sports team, Jacob replied, "If the Bulls and the Bears could somehow join forces, that... would be awesome."

Currently, one of Jacob's interesting hobbies is "Filling out Facebook surveys. They're always very interesting."

Jacob has several favorite restaurants in Chicago.  "Longman & Eagle, Violet Hour, Big Star, Elizabeth, Billy Sunday, Slurping Turtle, Sunda Fountainhead, Girl & the Goat ... I'm a sucker for food. And drinks."

Jacob is inspired by "My mother. My father. Edward Albee. The Beatles. Bob Dylan. John Steinbeck. Superman. Anyone who gets out of bed in the morning and accomplishes a good day’s work."

When asked what he aspired to be as a child, Jacob responded, "It was a tossup between Michael Jordan and Batman... I still aspire to be Batman."

Jacob's favorite summer activities are "Grilling burgers on a deck with good friends and cold beer."  As for his favorite winter activities, "Shoveling snow. Shivering. Layering."

Jacob is a Chicago native and currently lives in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood.  He graduated with a BFA in Theater and Film from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.  He is an actor, writer, and man about town with a particular interest in bookstores and local coffee shops.