Voices of Rolfe: Focus on Alyssa Weiner and Niki Perbohner

Alyssa Weiner and Niki Perbohner have been good friends for years and share a lot in common — they are the same age, grew up in the northern suburbs, live in downtown Chicago and are Co-Presidents of Rolfe Foundation’s Young Professional Board (YPB). But they also share a deeper connection, having both lost their fathers to Pancreatic Cancer.

 

Alyssa’s Story

“My dad was the best dad in the world. He loved his 3 girls — my mom (Kim), my sister (Amy) and myself. He had a passion for photography and was at any event that my sister and I had, taking pictures, being the biggest fan that there could ever be. He knew how to make everyone in the room smile.”

Andrew Weiner was 42 years old when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer in 2011. Since he had none of the known risk factors, the diagnosis came as a shock, but Andrew’s positive attitude and determination were trademarks of his three-year battle with the disease.

“We were lucky to have that time with him and such a great support system around us,” Alyssa noted.

Niki’s Story

“I could sit and talk about my dad for hours. I mean, personally, I think he was the best dad ever. He was always showing up for us at all of our sporting events, always there to pick up and drop off from school and practices. He was also just a total jokester, who could make anybody in the room laugh.”

Eric Perbohner died just 7 weeks after he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in 2022, at age 66. “It was a very fast battle,” Niki recalled. “None of us really had the time to process what was happening.”

Becoming Part of Rolfe Foundation’s Community

Alyssa learned about Rolfe Foundation in high school, when the organization was selected to be the beneficiary of Deerfield High School’s School Chest, an annual charity drive. She led the silent auction benefit, which broke every fundraising record that had been previously set for School Chest. “It was a way for all of my teachers and classmates and everyone around me to understand more about the battle that my dad went through, and I’ve been a part of the Rolfe community ever since.”

Niki heard about Rolfe Foundation through Alyssa, but wasn’t able to take advantage of Rolfe’s free patient and family support services. “My dad’s battle was so fast we didn’t have much time to find new treatments or doctors. I wish we had the opportunity to use Rolfe’s resources.”

As Co-Presidents of Rolfe’s YPB, Alyssa and Niki work closely with the other members, planning and hosting year-round events, including trivia nights, yoga in the park and an upcoming rooftop Cubs game on August 5, 204. “Everyone on YPB has that fire to raise awareness for Pancreatic Cancer because we’ve all been impacted by it,” noted Alyssa. Although many of the YPB events are free to attend, donations to support early detection research are highly encouraged. “Something that is so special and unique about Rolfe is the focus on funding early detection research. It’s super important for us to raise funds for that, given how low the 5-year survival rate currently is (12%) — we need that number to go up.”

 

DASHing with Friends and Family

Team Andrew has participated in the DASH for Detection for the past 10 years, no matter the weather. “DASH for Detection is a huge event that brings everyone in the Pancreatic Cancer and support community together. It’s so special being surrounded by my friends, my family, and others who are brought together by this common cause,” Alyssa shared.

In 2023, Team Andrew and Team Eric joined forces to create one of the year’s largest teams. Alyssa and Niki had t-shirts made for everyone and celebrated with friends and family afterwards. “It’s another way to remember the ones we’ve lost to Pancreatic Cancer. Instead of remembering the harder days like the birthdays, or the anniversaries, DASH for Detection is a day we can celebrate their lives and raise awareness for Pancreatic Cancer,” Niki added.

“DASH is such a fun event and a great way to get involved with the Rolfe community,” Alyssa noted. Niki went on to add that it’s an opportunity to enjoy a nice run or walk along the lakefront. “Everyone should come to DASH for Detection and take a day to remember your loved ones and enjoy the company of your friends and family.”

 

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