Meet Edie Lisk, Secretary

Meet Edie Lisk, YPB Secretary 

Meet Edie Lisk, Secretary of the Young Professionals Board. In this position, Edie does a fantastic job of taking meeting minutes and distributing them to the YPB and also keeping the YPB on task with their duties. 

Edie's heart is purple for her mom, Karma Lisk. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on her 58th birthday and passed away 16 days later. "I was fortunate to be by her side during her short battle; although, it was the hardest time of my life to see her go through the extreme pain and suffering. Her battle was too fast. I am passionate about working for early detection in hopes that no one else has to lose a loved one to this awful disease." Edie's favorite memory of her mom is of her smiling and laughing with her family.

Now, for some fun facts about Edie…

Edie's favorite quote is "Everything happens for a reason."

As a child, her dream job was to be a Dateline reporter, a zoologist or a mom. Her career has played out slightly different. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Psychology. She spent two years in the real estate industry and is now a Program Manager in the email marketing world.

Edie currently resides in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. Her favorite summer activity is beach volleyball and favorite winter activity is staying inside!

Meet Roslyn Turner, VP of Events and Marketing

Roslyn Turner, VP of Events and Marketing

Meet Roslyn Turner, VP of Events and Marketing of the Young Professionals Board. In this position, Roslyn is responsible for researching venues, coordinating event logistics and decor, and leading promotional efforts.

Roslyn's heart is purple for her mom and dad, Betty & Sol Turner, who bought fought courageous battles against pancreatic cancer. Throughout their battles, they taught Roslyn to live life to its fullest each day no matter what! A special memory is that every year for Roslyn's birthday, her mom would fill the entire kitchen with balloons before she woke up. Her mom was fighting her battle with pancreatic cancer during Roslyn's 20th birthday, so she didn’t expect balloons, but lo and behold, when Roslyn got home from work, her mom greeted her with a handful of balloons! "I was told that she was determined to have them there no matter how she felt or how long it took her. Her determination and love had never been more apparent and will be something I will never forget!" Roslyn said.

Now, for some fun facts about Roslyn…

Roslyn's hobby: scrapbooking. "As much as I don’t get to do it often I love scrapbooking!" she said.

As a child, Roslyn wanted to be a Disney Princess and a lawyer.

Roslyn is a marketing pro and currently lives in Chicago's River North neighborhood. She attended Lake Forest College and grew up in Highland Park, Il.

Meet Mike Navin, Liaison to the Senior Board

Mike Navin, Liaison to the Senior Board

Meet Mike Navin, Liaison to the Senior Board of the Young Professionals Board. As the liaison, Mike is responsible for attending senior board meetings and bringing news from the senior board to the junior board and vice versa.

Mike's heart is purple for his father, Patrick Navin, who passed away of pancreatic cancer in 1993 while he was still in college. His father never showed the pain of his disease. "Even radiation treatments did not stop him from living his life and enjoying his favorite things like spending time with his family, practicing law and playing golf," Mike said. 

Now, for some fun facts about Mike…

Mike's favorite sports team is the Chicago White Sox.

His favorite hobby is playing golf. "I am an avid golfer. My father taught me how to play and we both shared the love of the game."

Mike's mother inspires him. "She handled my father’s disease with love, grace and compassion. She fought through the tough times never thinking of herself but only what was best for her husband and her children."

As a child, Mike wanted to be a business owner.

His favorite summer activity is golfing.

Mike is the President of Cresent Cleaning Company and currently lives in Chicago's Lakeview/Roscoe Village neighborhood. He attended college at Loyola Chicago and grew up in Clarendon Hills, Il.

Heather Rosenberg's Purple Heart

VP of Operations Heather Rosenberg's heart is purple for her father, David Rosenberg, who lived for 10 months after diagnosis. Heather is a true daddy's girl.

David Rosenberg
8/20/41-5/25/10

A recent photo of Heather and her father

Heather and her dad back in the day

"Bet On A Cure" at Casino Night, Sept. 22

This weekend marks the 8th annual Michael Rolfe Foundation Casino Night, “Bet On A Cure.”  We are all very excited as this event is always a highlight of the year. As we look forward to this Saturday night and the wonderful food, games and prizes, we also need to remember the motivation behind this event and the tremendous impact it has on the beneficiaries of the proceeds. 

All proceeds of the event will go towards early detection of pancreatic cancer and support services for patients and their families. Since 2000, the Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation has provided crucial support to Johns Hopkins Medical Center and the Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Laboratory. Johns Hopkins experts are global leaders in the research and treatment of pancreatic cancer. No other medical center in the world treats as many pancreatic cancer patients or performs more whipple procedures (the most aggressive and effective form of treatment). We are also proud to support Northwestern Memorial Hospital and other institutions that provide an array of services specifically for pancreatic cancer patients and their families.

The Federal Government continues to cut funding of pancreatic cancer research efforts significantly despite promising developments in pancreatic cancer research. This is why now more than ever, the Michael Rolfe Foundation Young Professionals Board is seeking to develop new partnerships, expand our membership and plan new and exciting events. Please continue to check our Facebook page to learn more about our board members, upcoming events and the progress of the foundation.

Young Professionals Tickets to Casino Night can be purchased by calling 312-726-7766. We hope to see you Saturday night, Sept. 22, at Chicago Cultural Center for an unforgettable evening in support of a wonderful cause.

- Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation Young Professionals Board

Meet Heather Rosenberg, Vice President of Operations



Heather Rosenberg, Vice President of Operations


Meet Heather Rosenberg, Vice President of Operations of the Young Professionals Board. As Vice President of Operations, Heather supports the president's efforts, facilitates new member outreach, ensures that other board members stay on task and hosts our monthly meetings. 

Heather's heart is purple for her dad, David Rosenberg. "He was my rock, my look alike, my biggest fan, and my favorite person in the whole world. My dad passed away in my arms on my 24th birthday after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer."

Now, for some fun facts about Heather…

Her favorite quote: “It doesn’t matter what happens, it matters how you handle what happens.” –David Rosenberg

Heather's fellow Michael Rolfe Young Professional Board Members inspire her. "Your stories are inspirational and your fight is selfless," she said.

Her favorite summer activity is basking in the sun in South Haven, Michigan.

Heather practices family law at Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli Swerdlove LLP and currently lives in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. She went to undergrad at Penn State University and received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Heather grew up in Vernon Hills, Il.

Alarming Facts about Pancreatic Cancer

Did you know that an estimated 44,030 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S. annually? How about the fact that pancreatic cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States?

In the past, pancreatic cancer has not had as much publicity as cancers such as breast and prostate cancer. However, more light has been shed on this horrible disease with celebrities such as Steve Jobs, Patrick Swayze and Sally Ride who have suffered from the cancer. Here are a number of facts/statistics that will come as a surprise to most of you:

* Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm originating from transformed cells arising in tissues forming the pancreas.

* Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and surgical removal isn't possible.

* 95% of cases are due to pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

* Pancreatic cancer is the fourth deadliest cancer.

* The cancer claims the lives of 75% of those diagnosed within year one, and 96% of those diagnosed within five years.

* The average life expectancy after diagnosis with metastatic disease is just three to six months.

* 90% of people suffering from pancreatic cancer are 55 years of age and older.

* The National Cancer Institute (NCI) spent an estimated $97.1 million on pancreatic cancer research in 2010. What’s crazy is that this represented a mere 2% of the NCI's approximate $5 billion cancer research budget for that year.

On a happier note, there have been multiple exciting breakthroughs that could eventually lead to early detection for pancreatic cancer. For instance, a 15-year old named Jack Andraka made headlines recently for developing a urine and blood test that can detect pancreatic cancer with 90 percent accuracy. We look forward to seeing what the future holds in scientific research, and we hope that one day no one will have to suffer from this terrible disease.