Pancreatic Cancer Foundation Among HPHS Charity Drive Finalists

Rolfe Foundation: In 1956, Judy Lewis attended the Highland Park High School prom with Michael Rolfe. Sixty-three years later, Judy Rolfe returns to that photo from junior prom as she reflects on the legacy of her husband and the foundation built in his honor.

The Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, founded in 1999 after the sudden death of Michael Rolfe, is an organization focused on early detection research and patient and family support services for pancreatic cancer. Donors help Rolfe Foundation fund research for early detection and support patients and families while working toward discovering a cure.

“There was little in terms of knowledge, detection and support services for people fighting pancreatic cancer 20 years ago,” said Judy Rolfe. “It was very hard to find support and guidance in where to go for clinical trials. We wanted to change that.”

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States; only 9 percent of people diagnosed survive after 5 years. In Chicagoland, an estimated 1,600 people are diagnosed every year. Far too many need more support during this time of need.

Now, celebrating 20 years fighting pancreatic cancer, Rolfe Foundation is looking to expand its offerings and support a formal patient and family resource program to reach more patients and better their chance of survival.

That’s where the high school students and faculty at Highland Park High School could play a massive role: Rolfe Foundation has been selected as a finalist for the high school’s annual Charity Drive. Voting runs Nov. 1 to 4 and would be a game-changer for the foundation. Last year, the Drive raised more than $150,000 for the winning charity.

If selected as the winning charity, Rolfe will use the funds raised to connect patients and families with dedicated volunteers and staff that will be there every step of the way helping them through the worst time of their life. Specifically, they will provide:

• Direct, on-demand access to the best pancreatic cancer medical professionals in the country
• Pancreatic cancer wellness resources tailored to meet patient and family needs
• Pancreatic cancer support groups and counseling
• Peer-to-peer support systems to meet their needs

The funding boost from Highland Park High School would help the Rolfe Foundation reach thousands of more people affected by this disease.

The opportunity to participate in this charity drive hits close to home for Judy Rolfe and her children Jim, Lisa and Andy. Jim Rolfe and Lisa Rolfe Burik play an active role in the foundation to this day.

After high school, Judy and Michael would go on to marry and raise their family in the same area. Michael was a management consultant and served as District 113 Board President and school board member for eight years, while Judy taught at Highland Park High School for 17 years starting in 1982, the year after Michael retired from the board.

As Judy was nearing retirement, Michael fell ill in 1998, afflicted by a mild heart attack. Though a full recovery was projected, he started suffering from a series of ailments, which left his physicians at a loss for what was the matter. It was in March of 1999 that his pancreatic cancer was discovered, and two weeks later he had died.

Just several years later, the superintendent whom Michael and the board had hired, James Warren, fell ill and lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Michael’s family and friends have been determined for the last two decades to continue remembering Michael and fighting for others like James Warren.

When asked about the impact of being selected as a finalist for Highland Park’s charity drive, Judy Rolfe said: “It means the world to me, it really does. I’ve dedicated the better part of my life to Highland Park, as did my husband and James Warren. The fact that we can be here to help families and patients going through the process of dealing with this disease is so critical and so important to our foundation.”

The Rolfe Foundation started small in Highland Park and has grown to serve across Chicagoland over the years. But, as Judy Rolfe notes, the organization has always had personal contact and personal interest with people fighting cancer. And most of its board members have been touched by the disease personally.

“One of the things I’m proudest about is that we over the years have been very accessible to families and patients dealing with this disease making referrals, clinical trials as an information organization,” Rolfe said.

For more information on the organization, visit RolfeFoundation.org. Nov. 21 marks World Pancreatic Cancer Day and Rolfe Foundation will be a local advocate demanding better for patients and survivors.